Maritzburg College is a semi-private English-medium high school for boys situated in the city of Pietermaritzburg in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

[4] In late 2024, alumni Andile Simelane (cricket) and Sheldon de Klerk (bodybuilding) earned national colours - in doing so, becoming the school's 338th and 339th sporting internationals.

As the school – commonly known as College – swelled, "the best-trained [architect] in the Colony", PM Dudgeon,[6] was commissioned to design – on the then outskirts of the city – a larger classroom and boarding block, which was completed in 1888.

The College colours of red, black and white were first introduced in 1891 by EJ Holgate, the captain of the school's football team.

A popular belief is that they highlight the various skirmishes, battles and wars between the British and the Zulu that took place in the late 19th century (especially Isandlwana).

[4] Despite its size and its customary prowess on the sports field, Maritzburg College's academic standards also are traditionally strong.

In November 2021, all 270 of its grade 12 pupils passed the National Senior Certificate, with 89% achieving a university entrance qualification, and 15 boys each earning seven distinctions.

), the requirement for him to sprint or jog in various parts of the school, gamesroom (the daily sorting out of the sports equipment before practices by all 2nd Formers) and waiting-at-doors.

General school traditions include the wearing by all boys of straw boaters (known as bashers), which are hurled into the air at First XV rugby matches.

Running (the carrying out of any errands by 2nd Form boys for prefects) and fagging (a watered-down version of the old Victorian custom) were done away with in 2020.

[1]: 32 The first inter-schools cricket and rugby matches were both played against the Deutsche Schule Hermannsburg, on 6 October 1870, with the then High School (now Maritzburg College) winning both fixtures.

[1]: 52–53 Maritzburg College students take part in a wide variety of sports, including rugby, cricket, canoeing, hockey, athletics, swimming, water polo, tennis, shooting, football (soccer), basketball, cross-country, squash, e-sports and golf.

[14][better source needed] Six Old Collegians, across hockey, cycling, and swimming, were included in the SA team competing in the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Australia.

[15][better source needed] The most recent additions (as at December 2024) to the school's international honours boards in the Kent Pavilion, overlooking Goldstone's field, are Andile Simelane (cricket) and Sheldon de Klerk (bodybuilding).

The meeting was presided over by the Attorney-General of Natal, Henry Bale (Dux 1870), with Ernest Holgate as secretary.

"[1]: 146–147 The gathering each year of Old Collegians at the various Reunion Weekend events hosted by the school and local sports clubs (including alumni basketball, football, golf, padel and lawn bowls) is a highlight on the school calendar, and culminates with the First XV rugby match on the main field, Goldstone's.

Amongst the names on display are a pre-eminent English author, two bishops and 13 South African senators; a Chief Justice of old Natal, three Attorneys General and 10 judges (including a former member of the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein); the general officers commanding the Rhodesian Army and the South African Air Force; five other generals, two admirals and the Commissioner of the British South Africa Police (BSAP) in the former Rhodesia; eight Officers Commanding of the Natal Carbineers alone; 23 Rhodes scholars and scores of academics of distinction, including professors at Harvard and Yale; two Chancellors of the University of Natal and three Directors of Education; numerous Members of Parliament; two Emmy Award-winning cameramen and a winner of the Polar Medal; as well as the founder of Rand Merchant Bank and subsequent CEO of FirstRand Bank and the recently-retired CEO of Nedbank.

The most recent (2020-2024) names added to the 'honoris causa' honours board are Major Hugh Gordon NOURSE (RE) (1899), Military Cross; Lt Croye Rothes PITHEY (RFC) (1908), Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar; Francois Adrianus RODGERS (1980), Member of Parliament, Provincial Chairman of the Democratic Alliance; Edmund BOURKE (c1864), Mayor of Pretoria; Dale Anson HANCOCK (1988), Emmy Award-winning filmmaker; and Sgt-Maj (retd.)

It was composed by the then Director of Academics, Miss A McLoughlin, and two previous head prefects, Ryan Hosking (2011) and Jesse Filaferro (2012).