THEME: LEADERSHIP – RITES OF PASSAGE
These themes have been specially chosen, because today marks not just an important milestone for our incoming 2025 schoolboy leaders, but it is also the start of a very important journey of development and self-discovery for those boys – a rite of passage.
It is also important for us to recognise and honour our outgoing leaders, and to thank Robinson and the 2024 prefects, boarder prefects and house leaders, for the noble service they have rendered to our school over the last 12 months.
We will thank them again on Friday and in the fourth term, but let’s today acknowledge that this is their final Monday assembly as functioning 2024 leaders. Well done, young men – you have served Maritzburg College with credit and honour.
The Fifth Formers who are appointed today as acting prefects, acting boarder prefects and acting house leaders have all gone through a very thorough and rigorous process. This is of course not the end for them, but the beginning.
They will only be able to achieve success with your support and they would of course also not be here without your support. Please ensure that you all get behind them, as from today, so that they can be the best leaders that they can be.
There are also going to be Fifth Formers who right now are feeling very disappointed at not having been appointed as acting prefects. Gentlemen, your defeat may be bitter, but it is most certainly temporary. The journey of life is a very long and winding one – and you will have many, many chances in the years to come, to show your talents and skills in your careers, as family men, amongst your families and friends, and in your broader communities.
For our new leaders, I urge you to remember the words of the Chinese philosopher Lao-Tsu, who tells us –
“‘To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honour and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next the people hate. When the best leader’s work is done, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!’”
From Scripture
‘So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.’ – 1 Corinthians 3:7
‘Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.’ – Proverbs 22:6
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife’ – Genesis 2: 24
A prayer:
“Dear Lord, please guide and bless us as we pass through the various stages of our lives and experience the rites of passage as we move towards adulthood. We pray for the leaders of 2025 as they assume their roles over the next number of weeks and trust that you will continue to guide and bless them in your name we pray amen.”
Appointment of Acting Prefects:
To be a prefect at Maritzburg College is the highest accolade that this old school can bestow on its boys.
My own father is 85 years old, and he long ago told me about the first time that he came across a College prefect, as a little boy.
It was in 1945, before his father came back from the War, and my Dad was about six years old. One morning, he and his mother drove up to the Eastwolds trading store, deep in the hlateen, in their old Ford truck.
As they walked into the trading store, my Dad noticed a young man standing just outside on the veranda. My Dad knew Maritzburg College well, even then, as all his much-loved uncles had gone through College before they joined the army. He said to me last night that as a little boy he thought it was the best school in the world. As he looked more closely at the young man on the verandah, who was clearly waiting for his parents to buy a few things from the shop, before they took him to the Donnybrook station to take the train back to Maritzburg and back to school, my Dad noticed the young man’s calm nobility and confidence – as well as his beautiful school badge, surrounded by the laurel wreath of a prefect. “In my young mind,” he said to me last night, “I was in the presence of a god!”
Such are the impressions that a prefect at this school can make on a young man; a memory that is as still as fresh as yesterday, even if it happened more than 79 years ago.
ACTING PREFECTS
Askew, Greg
Bester, Ewald
Bhengu, Alwande
Borchers, Matt
Cherayi, Cyril
Cruickshank, Daniel
Gwala, Misokuhle
Hadebe, Amahle
Hamadziripi, Elroy
Kasambala, Victor
Khumalo, Lwanda
Koller, Nathan
Mkize, Ntsika
Nadasan, Daniel
Naidoo, Deolyn
Nala, Owethu
Pembridge, Nathan
Pepu, Bomibethu
Qasha, Mazithi
Shangase, Lethokuhle
Sithembu, Siwaphiwe
Steyn, Justin
Thackwray, Jordan
Tilbury, Adam
ACTING BOARDER PREFECTS
Barnes, Avela
Boshoff, Rudi
Louwrens, Peter
Mundell, Christopher
Odell, Jack
ACTING HOUSE LEADERS
Barns House: Armoed, Rylan; Bhengu, Lwandile; Mundell, Christopher; Sukraj, Cayden; Currie, Joseph; Foster, Tristen
Calder House: Barnes, Avela; Khumalo, Azi; Pillay, Troy; Tilbury, Joshua; Venter, Rocco; Zondi, Cebelihle
Commons: Luthuli, Lethokuhle; Van Der Merwe, Ryan; Redlinghys, Seth; Kaufmann, Matthew; Moneyvalu, Jiran; Danisa, Sizoluhle
Forder House: Botha, Benjamin; Boshoff, Rudi; Siyongwana, Cebo; Mdabe, Hloma; Ntombela, Olwethu; Nkosi, Zuko
Fuller House: Baptista, Levi; Beni, Abdullah; Combrink, Jean; Gould, Caleb; Modi, Hlumelo; Van der Vliet, Ross
Lamond House: Botha, Kobus; Demont, Bryce; Ekstand, Kade; Lancaster, Murray; McAllister, Ewan; Mntungwa, Nqoba
Nicholson House: Gibbs, Cayden; Hughes, Samuel; Jenkins, Kadin; Louwrens, Peter; Moodley, Davlin; Odell, Jack
Pape House: Canham, Mihlali; Harley, Jack; Kufal, Travis; Maphanga, Mvelo; Mfusi, Minenhle; Naidoo, Declan
Snow House: Thabethe, Fulelwa; Trodd, Warwick; Westerdale, Nathan; Anderson, Ross; Nkabane, Linomtha; Moses, Zac
Strachan House: Fincham, Joshua; Harris, Joshua; Strachan, William; Radebe, Olwethu; Mazibuko, Siyabonga; Premchund, Veer
The formal induction ceremony for the prefects, house leaders and shouting captains will be announced at the passing of the drum ceremony early next term.
It’s the final academic / teaching week for the 6th Formers, so I urge them all to focus on completing all the work for Trials, attending extra lessons, and really knuckling down.
I wish you all a good week.
Matthew M Marwick
SENIOR DEPUTY HEADMASTER