Milnerton High School

Milnerton High School
Location
48 Pienaar Road, Milnerton Cape Town , Western Cape South Africa
Coordinates	33°52′18″S18°29′49″E / 33.87167°S 18.49694°E / -33.87167; 18.49694
Information
Type	Public school
Motto	Latin: Lux Esto (Let there be light)
Established	1959
School district	Metro North Education District
Headmaster	Mr Van Tonder
Deputy Headmaster	Iqbal Cassim
Deputy Headmistress	Trudy Pentz
Grades	8 to 12
Gender	Co-educational
Age	13to 18
Campus	Urban Campus
Campus size	Medium to large
Campus type	Suburban
Houses	Graaff, Hoffmeyr, Merriman, Milner
Colours	Navy blue, gold and white
Athletics	Yes
Nickname	Millies
Accreditation	Western Cape Education Department
Newspaper	Pharos
Website	www.milnertonhighschool.co.za

Milnerton High School (MHS) is a public English medium co-educational high school for grades 8 to 12, situated in the Milnerton suburb of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.

The school was founded in 1959, and expanded continually—particularly since the early 2000s—to welcome students coming from well beyond central Milnerton. It now serves students residing in both affluent suburbs and townships surrounding Milnerton.

Academics

Milnerton High School has been notably well-performing, achieving a 100% Grade 12 pass rate for 16 years in a row, from 2004 until 2019. ^[1] The school's academic performance regularly exceeds the average public school's expectation, with an exceptionally high pass rate averaging 99.9% yearly between 2004 and 2020, ^[2] compared to the average national pass rate of 78.4% between 2017 and 2020. ^[3] Over the years, several top achieving students and alumni from Milnerton High School have also made headlines in several local and national newspapers. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}

Other than the generally compulsory subjects of English (Home Language) and Afrikaans (First Additional Language), the school offers a variety of subjects at a Further Education and Training level (FET, i.e. grades 10 to 12):

• Mathematics (Maths) or Mathematical Literacy (Maths Lit)
• Physical Sciences
• Life Sciences (Biology)
• Accounting
• Business Studies
• Economics (from 2023)
• Computer Applications Technology (CAT)
• Consumer Studies (Home Economics)
• Design
• Dramatic Arts (Drama)
• Visual Art
• Geography
• History
• Tourism
• Music

The school also offers external subjects. These are generally taught after normal school hours and not on school grounds, and are:

• Advanced Programme Mathematics (AP Maths, somewhat similar but not identical to the United States' Advanced Placement Math programme)
• Information Technology (IT)

Sport

Rugby

Milnerton High School's Rugby First Team and Old Boys Teams compete in provincial tournaments. The Milnerton Old Boys Association enters teams into international rugby tournaments, and in early 2020 competed in the Cape Town Tens Rugby Tournament. ^[8] The team was invited to compete in the 2010 Malaysian Rugby Tens Tournament.

Notable alumni

• Damian de Allende, player in South Africa's national rugby team, the Springboks
• Wouter Basson, cardiologist and former head of the Apartheid government's chemical and biological warfare project
• Jim Murphy, former Scottish Labour Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire and former Minister of State for Europe
• Mark Nigrini, professor at West Virginia University
• Ethan du Preez, Olympic swimmer who competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics
• Natasha Thahane, actress and model
• Lungile Tsolekile, South African field hockey player who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics

Controversies

2025 Bullying Incident

In October 2025, the school was the site of a serious bullying incident involving a Grade 10 learner and several senior students. A video surfaced online showing the victim being assaulted by a group of older boys, reportedly members of the school's rugby team. The incident led to public outrage and calls for accountability. ^{[9] [10] [11] [12] [13]}

The Western Cape Education Department initiated an internal investigation, and the involved students were suspended. Eight pupils, aged 17 to 18, were charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. They were granted bail with conditions, including no contact with the victim and restrictions on entering the school premises. The case was postponed to January 2026 to allow the accused to complete their examinations. ^{[14] [15] [16] [17]}

The incident has sparked widespread discussions about school safety and the culture within sports teams, particularly rugby, at the school. Various organisations and political parties have condemned the actions and called for reforms to prevent such occurrences in the future. ^{[18] [19] [20]}

References

1. "Milnerton High School 2019 matric class achieve 100% pass rate". AWSUM School News. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
2. "Milnerton High School Reviews, Matric Results & Contact Details". SchoolsDigest. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
3. "MatricResults". News24. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
4. Viljoen, Nettalie. "Local school stands out". News24. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
5. "Western Cape (home to SA's top three boffs) achieves 82.3% matric pass rate". CapeTalk. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
6. "Don't stop until you're proud, says Cape Town top matriculant". Engineering News. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
7. Kasa, Sibulele. "Cape Town teen in pursuit of American dream". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
8. "Cape Town 10s | 31st Jan – 1st Feb 2020 – Green Point Common Fields, Cape Town". Cape Town 10s. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
9. Ngcobo, Khanyisile (22 October 2025). "Milnerton High School: Eight pupils suspended over South Africa bullying video". BBC Home. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
10. Pongweni, Takudzwa; Goni, Siyabonga (23 October 2025). "Milnerton High School bullying – six boys granted bail after vicious assault". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
11. Petersen, Carlo (23 October 2025). "8 Milnerton High School pupils suspended for assault due in court". EWN. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
12. "Criminalising learners not an answer to bullying: Equal Education". 23 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
13. Dondolo, Wendy (21 October 2025). "Milnerton High School bullying video goes viral as police launch assault investigation". IOL. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
14. Marriah-Maharaj, Jolene (23 October 2025). "Milnerton High learners released on R2,000 bail, to write exams elsewhere". IOL. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
15. "Milnerton High learners accused of bullying granted bail". 23 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
16. Petersen, Carlo (24 October 2025). "Milnerton High assault: 8 accused forced to hand over phones in court". EWN. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
17. Ludidi, Velani (23 October 2025). "Eight Milnerton High pupils released on R2 000 bail, barred from school". News24. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
18. "Update on Milnerton HS disciplinary process". WCG. 22 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
19. "Media Statement: Basic Education Committee Chairperson Condemns Shocking Bullying Incident at Milnerton High School". Parliament of South Africa. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
20. "UDM demands accountability after Milnerton High bullying incident". UDM. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.