Pietermaritzburg hotels on Sunday reported high occupancy rates, considered ”unusual” for this time of year.
Many of the hotels were filled with police officers, journalists and Zuma supporters ahead of his upcoming corruption trial on Monday.
Pietermaritzburg tourism director Melanie Veness said: ”There is very little [accommodation] available. It’s very unusual for this time of year.”
The occupancy rate was expected it to remain high for much of the week, she said.
The City Royal Hotel reported most of their rooms were taken up by police officers brought in for the trial.
The Victoria Inn Bed and Breakfast was fully booked.
”You want a room? We’re fully booked because of that case. It’s full of police officers for the whole week,” said a receptionist.
The Imperial Hotel had only nine of its 17 rooms available.
Traffic police were busy in the morning erecting barriers in and around Freedom Square in anticipation of the masses of Zuma supporters expected to descend on the city centre for the night vigil on Sunday night.
The South African Community Party’s 85th anniversary rally in Wadley Stadium got off to a slow start on Sunday morning. By mid-morning there were no more than 200 people. — Sapa