WATCH | Clock tower’s heartbeat set to return to Pietermaritzburg

For many Pietermaritzburg residents, the once-familiar sound of bells echoing across the city has long been absent. But the City Hall clock is edging closer to a full revival, raising hopes that one of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks will soon be keeping time and chiming once again.

Residents may recently have noticed unusual activity high above Church Street, including the occasional movement of the clock hands and unexpected bell chimes.

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That activity is the work of a horologist (someone skilled in the art and science of measuring time) and clockmaker Mark Webber, who has maintained the City Hall clock since 2002.

He is undertaking repairs to return the mechanism to reliable working order after it had stood silent for several years.

The project includes repairing rust-damaged components, replacing worn cables, restoring the clock faces and ensuring the striking and chiming systems operate correctly.

Progress has already been made, particularly with the bells and hammer mechanisms in the belfry, many of which had seized due to rust.

If repairs continue as planned, residents could soon hear the familiar hourly strikes again.

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It might take another week or two to get the quarter chimes going.

“And then I’d say another two to three weeks to get the carillon playing,” said Webber.

The restoration is the latest chapter in the clock’s remarkable history.

When Pietermaritzburg’s original City Hall was destroyed by fire in 1898, the clock and its mechanisms crashed to the ground, according to Webber.

The clock face stopped at exactly 8.18pm.

A new clock was installed 703 days later. In a symbolic tribute, it was started at the exact time the original had stopped.

During a ceremony marking its return, deputy mayor P.E. Payn celebrated the restoration of what was regarded as the city’s heartbeat.

Former municipal manager and mayor, Rob Haswell, later added another chapter to the clock’s story when he arranged for the carillon to play the national anthem.

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Looking ahead, Haswell believes the anthem could once again become part of daily life in Pietermaritzburg.

We could play [the national anthem] at noon. A number of cities used to have a noon day gun. By playing the anthem, it would become a part of the fabric of the city.

“People will hear it and think, ‘thank goodness, I’m halfway through the day’,” said Haswell.

“The anthem is also a unifying tune, it would be appropriate for social cohesion.

“Though, Mark may complain about having to wind it every day.”

More than a century later, the city’s heartbeat is preparing to sound once again.

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The clock remains one of the largest and most sophisticated tower clocks in South Africa. Its 16-foot pendulum and gravity escapement system — similar in principle to the mechanism used in Big Ben — were designed to maintain accurate time even in harsh weather conditions, according to Webber.

It is an incredibly high-quality movement. A very high-quality mechanism.

“You wouldn’t have got a better quality mechanism, and Pietermaritzburg got it,” he said.

The historic carillon, a pitched percussion instrument, can play melodies through a complex arrangement of bells and hammers powered by a 650-pound weight.

However, returning the system to its original automated operation remains a far greater challenge.

Webber said much of the gearing and levers that once connected the clock mechanism to the carillon were stolen decades ago for scrap metal.

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“We’ll never have it automatically linked because most of the levers and gearing were stolen,” he said.

“But if somebody came on board and said they were prepared to put in a lot of money, let’s do it, it would be fantastic to have it working like that again.”

A full restoration remains possible, but would require significant investment from a benefactor, organisation or heritage-minded sponsor willing to help preserve one of Pietermaritzburg’s treasured landmarks.

Msunduzi Municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Mkhize said the restoration forms part of the municipality’s commitment to preserving the city’s heritage assets.

“The City Hall clock is one of Pietermaritzburg’s most recognisable landmarks and holds significant historical and cultural value for residents and visitors alike,” said Mkhize.

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She said the municipality initiated efforts in November 2023 to restore the clock and appointed Webber to undertake the specialised work.

According to Mkhize, previous repairs were undertaken about two years ago, but progress stalled after the maintenance contract expired.

The contract has since been renewed to allow for comprehensive servicing and repairs.

“The municipality understands what this landmark means to the people of Msunduzi.

“For generations, the clock has stood as a familiar feature of the city’s skyline, marking the passage of time and serving as a point of pride for residents,” he said.

Its restoration is about more than repairing a mechanism; it is about preserving a piece of our shared heritage and ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy and appreciate this important landmark.

Mkhize said the municipality was also excited at the prospect of hearing the clock chime once again, describing its return as a reaffirmation of the City’s commitment to protecting heritage assets.

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She added that the City Hall clock and the historic City Hall organ, which is also earmarked for restoration, are regarded among the largest of their kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

For Webber, the project is about far more than mechanics.

“You could be anywhere in Pietermaritzburg and you’d hear the clock chiming, and you knew it was reliable.

“The First National Bank in Church Street wouldn’t open its doors until the clock struck nine o’clock,” he said.

For generations, the clock served as both a landmark and trusted timekeeper.

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As repairs continue, the return of its chimes promises to reconnect the city with an important piece of its history.