Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository

231 Pietermaritz Street, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
Tel: +27 (0)33 342 4712
Hours: Mon to Fri 9 – 4
Email: pmbarchives@kznedu.kzntl.gov.za
Website: www.national.archives.gov.za
Digital photography is permitted subject to minor restrictions.

The collections cover the province of KwaZulu-Natal, excluding the area north of the Mfolozi river and the Durban and coastal region, commencing at Cato Ridge. The records of central government are excluded, with the exception of the records of magistrates. The repository also accepts non-public records that reflect the history of KwaZulu-Natal, including photographs and private documents.

The repository contains the records of the offices of Natal colonial government. Post-colonial records include the records of provincial administration, government offices, local authorities, magistrates and commissioners. The holdings also include the records of the Landdros, Pietermaritzburg, from the Voortrekker period; the old Provincial Council Library. Non-public records include material pertaining to the Colenso and Shepstone collections, and more than 10,000 photographs and a map collection.

The repository has many important collections of individuals, families and organisations. It has excellent finding aids including a full list of its accessions and many detailed inventories for larger collections. These are backed by a small but helpful library of related source materials. The only website available is that of the National Archives. This has a search facility, but the database is limited, partial and seriously out of date so that even key records are difficult or impossible to find using it.

A combination of references in published work, email or telephone contacts with staff and personal visit will be required to establish the relevance of its collections to any particular project.

Last updated: 1 January 2018