HOERSKOOL MARAIS VILJOEN

We profile

Alberton is an industrial town some 20 km south of Johannesburg, proclaimed a municipality in 1939. That's comparatively young. But then it is a young place, started in a sense when Jan Meyer bought 11 hectare from his stepfather for the farm Elandsfontein. Meyer was 13 at the time and became prosperous.

After Jan's death his brother Org sold part of the farm to General Alberts, the South African War general, Alberts wanted to divide his land into plots, which he did. He also changed the name, claiming that Alberton was not named for him but for the Meyer family who had trekked from Prince Albert, over the Swartberg from Oudtshoorn. So by roundabout way Alberton takes its name from Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.

School

Hoërskool Marais Viljoen is also comparatively young, founded in 1961. It has had only three principals in the whole of its history - Piet Myburgh, Phillip Fouché and Hannes le Roux.

The school was opened and named after the member of parliament for Alberton, Marais Viljoen, who later became the state president.

Originally it was a technical and commercial school  - Marais Viljoen Hoër Tegniese en Handelskool. It has dropped the commercial side altogether and has broadened its academic scope. Since 1995 it has been just Hoërskool Marais Viljoen, drawing on primary schools in Alberton and the southern suburbs of Johannesburg..

Rugby

In 2004 Marais Viljoen won its first big trophy when it beat EG Jansen of Boksburg in the Final of the Top 16 for Big Schools. En route they beat Waterkloof of Pretoria and Monument of Krugersdorp. But then this age-group has always done well - reaching the finals of the Beeld Trophy at Under-14, Under-15 and Under-16 levels, losing, in order, to Affies, EG Jansen and Affies.

Apart from that they have had success in 1996 when their Under-16 side came second in Transvaal while their 1st XV has won their league four times.

Marais Viljoen's success in 2004, which started with their March tour to Argent

School information

Name: Hoërskool Marais Viljoen
Motto: Scientia est vires (Knowledge is strength)
Foundation date: 11 September 1961
Numbers:
Rugby teams:
Address: c/o Bodmin Road & Cradock Street, Alberante, Alberton