Address to the Women of Maritzburg College – Friday, 8 August 2025
Alan Redfern
Headmaster of Maritzburg College
Good morning, ladies,
This month, we celebrate the women in our lives—our grandmothers, our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters—the women who bring meaning and love to so many of us. Today, in this beautiful setting on the Forder Oval, the day before Women’s Day, I, on behalf of the staff, the boys, and the leadership of Maritzburg College, extend our heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation to this extraordinary group of ladies.
Today is a reminder (not that we need one) of the extraordinary role you play in the life of this school. More than that, it’s an opportunity for us to slow down, reflect, and say something we probably don’t say nearly enough: thank you.
This school, with all its tradition, energy, and promise, could simply not function without you. More than that, it would not be Maritzburg College without the women who serve it, care for it, love it, and uphold it in ways both seen and unseen.
You are the teachers who lead with excellence and empathy. The admin staff who keep the wheels turning calmly behind the scenes. The scholarship and house mothers, and the San sisters, who care for our boarders as if they were their own sons. The coaches and support staff—every one of you gives of yourselves far beyond what is required.
And what strikes me most is this: regardless of your role, you act with care. You bring not only your skills and your time, but your hearts. You listen. You notice when a boy is having a bad day. You show patience when it’s hard. And I know that you carry the emotional weight of this school more than most will ever realise.
And through all of that, you are our role models. Every day, you show our young men what strength with compassion looks like. You teach them, by example, that dignity, grace, resilience, and love are not soft values—they are human values. Values that we, as a school, hold so dear. You shape them not only into better students, but into better sons, brothers, and, one day, partners, fathers, and leaders. This is our calling as people who choose to educate young men. This is our College calling.
I firmly believe that one of the most powerful influences on the kind of men our boys become is the presence of strong, wise, caring women in their lives. And they are fortunate… WE are fortunate—to have you walking this journey with them.
So today, I simply want to say: thank you.
Thank you for your patience and your passion.
Thank you for your strength and your subtlety.
Thank you for your humour, your energy, and your grace under pressure.
Thank you for the love you show in every task, big and small—even when it’s not noticed.
Please know that you are seen. You are valued. And you are deeply appreciated by all of us, even if we don’t verbalise it often enough.
May today remind you of how essential you are to the heart of this school. And may it also remind all of us to honour your contribution—not only on Women’s Day, but every day.
From the bottom of my heart—thank you, and Happy Women’s Day.
PROS ARIS ET FOCIS
Address to the women staff of College on behalf of the boys
E Bester (Deputy Head Prefect)
On behalf of the boys of Maritzburg College, I’d like to take this moment to not only honour but to thank every woman on our amazing staff team.
On 9 August 1956, the women of South Africa created a united front to protest the laws that discriminated against women of all races. During this march, there was a phrase shouted by these brave women — a phrase that would echo through history:
*”You strike a woman, you strike a rock!”*
Today, we are surrounded by women who embody that same strength, resilience, and courage. Whether you’re in the classroom, on the sports field, in the office, or behind the scenes — you carry this school with dignity, determination, and care.
From all of us boys — thank you for your wisdom, your patience, and your unwavering dedication. We see you, we respect you, and we are better because of you.