Maritzburg College, Carter High dominate Pietermaritzburg squads

The KZN High Schools Football Association Inter-District tournament, featuring u16 and u19 teams, takes place at Thomas More College, in Kloof, on 4 August. A week later, on 11 August, it will be the turn of the u14 and u15 sides.

Recently, the Pietermaritzburg trials to choose the squads that will represent the district were held. Out of the 64 boys who cracked the nod, 31 were from Maritzburg College, while Carter High School, the champion of the KZN High Schools Football Inland 2nd Term League, was also strongly represented.

Maritzburg College’s strength in depth and across the four age groups was reflected in the selections and reflected well, too, on the school’s strong structure and football programme.

Nic Haswell, the Director of Soccer at Maritzburg College, expressed immense pride in the school’s ongoing success and progression. “Of course, I am extremely proud of our players and coaches and the selections reflect the passion and hard work we put into our football programme,” he said.

Luzuko Ndiko, the coach of Carter High School, who is also the coach of the Pietermaritzburg u19 squad for the inter-district tournament, said there is significant depth in the lineup, with a handful of boys who have represented the district together from u14 to u19 level being bolstered by talented new players, who have further strengthened the team.

The lineup includes Carter High’s impressive captain Nthuthuko Mnguni, who has been joined by some of his teammates, as well as top performers from Maritzburg College, ML Sultan Secondary School, Riverwood, Alexandra High School, and Heritage Academy.

“We choose the best amongst the players, from the top schools from around Pietermaritzburg, so we do have quite strong depth”, Ndiko said.

Commenting on his own charges, Ndiko said: “Four players from Carter High School have made the cut – Amukelwa Khuzwayo, Nthuthuko Mnguni, Lumka Nzimande, and Ntakaso Dlamini -which is 25 percent of the u19 squad, which quite a good number, especially since it represents the fact that we are the champions, the best team in Pietermaritzburg.

“Yes, we lost out friendly match on 20 July against Maritzburg College, but that doesn’t change the fact that we beat College twice this year, and we are still the reigning champions.”

Ndiko said this was testament to the effectiveness of the coaching staff and the dedication of the players at Carter High School. Playing against strong opposition has also helped his teams improve, Ndiko added, which is a source of pride for the school. This past weekend, they were crowned the champions of the inaugural Carter High Super Cup.

“I think some of the reasons for our success is the fact that we had an extensive pre-season. We started our first training session with the first team in January, when the school opened. Now they are in form, fitness is not an issue, and combinations are sorted by the coaches as they’ve had an extensive period to look at players and combinations.”

Ndiko further lauded the coaching staff for its significant contributions to the football programme. He specifically mentioned the outstanding work of Mduduzi Ngubane, the head coach at the school, Samkelo Zondo who is their conditioning coach, Lindokuhle Ntuli, the goalkeeper coach, and the dedication and passion of Soccer Manager, Andise Maphumulo. “He’s been an absolute superstar. He’s managed our soccer programme for years at our school, and now we see the fruits of that continuity,” Ndiko declared.

The school’s sponsors, particularly the Ilawu Hospitality Group, had contributed greatly to Carter’s success, he added.

“It is evident that the collective efforts of the coaching staff, and external stakeholders have played a crucial role in the success of the team,” he said.

• About
• Latest Posts

Siya Pongco

A passionate reader and dedicated writer, Siya possesses three degrees from Rhodes University including a Postgraduate Diploma at Rhodes University. He also played amateur cricket and soccer, both during his university years. While honing his journalism skills at Grocott’s Mail in Makhanda, he developed a profound interest in the community’s response to crime. Additionally, he covered topics such as art/culture and student politics at Rhodes University in 2022. In his spare time, Siya can be found exploring galleries, dining at restaurants, indulging in literature, taking photographs or savouring his favourite dish, spaghetti.

Latest posts by Siya Pongco (see all)

• Maritzburg College and Westville still top KZN leagues - 2025-05-21
• Highlands Park tackles Sundowns in a must-see GWDL showdown - 2025-05-21
• Preview: Mancosa KZNHSFA leagues round five - 2025-05-19