Pinetown lies between Kloof and Westville and is nestled at the foot of Fields Hill - an area made famous by the Comrades Marathon. The area today is a predominantly light commercial and industrial town and with easy access to the M13 and other major routes, Pinetown is ideally situated in respect of access to other destinations across the country.
Named after Sir Benjamin Pine, the erstwhile Governor of Natal in 1873, the town was built around the Wayside Hotel which was strategically placed along the main wagon route between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The British built a large concentration camp in Pinetown during the second Boer War, to house the captive Boer women and children. No longer a separate municipality, Pinetown now falls under the eThekweni Municipality and boasts excellent infrastructure in respect of schooling, medical and hospital facilities, as well as a number of shopping centres and restaurants.
St Benedict’s Private School was established in Pinetown in 1956, with an initial enrolment of 32 pupils. Today the school has just over 400 pupils and has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Pinetown Girls’ High School founded in 1955, is a public school and was initially a co-educational facility. In January 1978 the school was split into two separate divisions, spinning off Pinetown Boys’ High School.
According to various property reports the area has become increasingly popular with first-time buyers. Entry level buyers appear to be able to purchase good value for money properties in the area, placing their feet firmly on the first rung of the property ladder. The close proximity to all facets of the greater Durban region allows for easy access for those who need to commute.
Cowies Hill is a small up-market residential suburb and was originally established by the mayor of Pinetown. Recent statistics released by Lightstone reveal that there have been a total of 13 properties transferred in the area in the last 12 months. The highest price paid for a property was R4.230m and the average price paid for freehold property is R1.6m. Cowies Hill Park however, experienced a total of 24 transfers and the highest price paid for a property in the area was R3.3m. The majority of the property transactions were in the price category of R800 000 to R1.5m, with a total of 18 transactions taking place.
Another popular area of choice is Padfield Park. This particular suburb has seen a total of 43 property transactions in the same period. The average price paid for a freehold property in the area is R991 000 and R985 000 was the average price paid in the sectional title sector of the market.
Hosting one of the oldest and most revered cricket clubs in KwaZulu-Natal, which was established in the town in 1873, Pinetown Cricket Club is believed to be amongst the oldest clubs still in existence in South Africa. Located in Lahee Park, this prestigious club has been represented by Norman Crookes who was selected twice for the Springbok squad and Tertius Bosch, who was ranked alongside Allan Donald and Hansie Cronje. Although Pinetown may not be The Ashes, it seems, that investors buying into this area really are on a good wicket.