Pietermaritzburg's business community laments city's state

THE business community is up in arms about the state of Pietermaritzburg and has pleaded for the intervention of the provincial government amid concerns that the city's condition is undermining investment.

- THAMI MAGUBANE

The community is especially worried about cleanliness, infrastructure decay and lack of safety and security in the city.

MEC for Economic Development, Musa Zondi, revealed recently in an interview with The Mercury that he had been approached by businesses in the Pietermaritzburg area, including some of the largest employers, to assist in cleanup the KwaZulu-Natal-Natal capital.

Last year, the MEC announced a programme to revitalise small towns, intending to ensure that the province's economy is not solely concentrated in the larger cities.

The Pietermaritzburg area, particularly the CBD, is deteriorating rapidly, with large parts of the town that attract significant foot traffic being overrun by homeless individuals. Residents now fear going to certain areas of the city.

Recently, the city announced plans to revitalise the Ematheni Beerhall, one of the most problematic areas in the city.