[Image: Hilton College]
In a bold (and perhaps, long overdue) move, Hilton College principal George Harris has penned an open letter to parents, urging them to tone it down with the flashy displays of wealth, particularly on the sidelines of rugby games.
And the internet loved it.
Snippets of the letter went viral after Harris took aim at the growing trend of one-upmanship among Hilton’s high-rolling families during a recent rugby derby against rival school Michaelhouse.
“I’ve been reflecting on this and have been noticing growing tendencies toward one-upmanship in the scale of hosting and catering around the field,” Harris wrote.
“When hospitality and generosity became self-serving displays of opulence, and began to pull away from what we aspire to be as a community.”
He didn’t stop there. In a gentle, but firm nudge to the Dom Pérignon crowd, Harris continued:
“Next year, can we ditch the opulence in favour of a wholesome hospitality devoid of showmanship and loud extravagance.
“When the extravagance stretches into overconsumption, the message we send to our children is wrong.”
Cue awkward glances from those with private chefs parked next to the first-aid tent.
Watch Anele and The Club on 947 dive in with their unfiltered takes:
For context, Hilton isn’t just any private school; it’s the most expensive one in South Africa. Nestled in the leafy KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, it commands a cool R420,729 per year in boarding and tuition fees. That’s not just pocket change – that’s Range Rover territory.
The school’s alumni list reads like a “Who’s Who” of SA’s elite: sports broadcaster Robert Marawa, former Springbok Gary Teichmann, and uMngeni Mayor Chris Pappas all once roamed Hilton’s hallowed halls.
And if you’re wondering who else is flexing in the school fee Olympics, here’s the latest Top 10 most expensive private schools in the country:
- Hilton College – R420,729 per year
- Michaelhouse – R392,000
- St Andrew’s College – R387,531
- Roedean School for Girls – R387,093
- St John’s College – R376,589
- Kearsney College – R374,330
- Bishops College – R364,680
- St Mary’s – R358,665
- St Alban’s College – R353,580
- Diocesan School for Girls – R345,630
Moral of the story? If your idea of a school sports day involves something equivalent to a sushi bar, rosé fountains, and a live saxophonist… You might’ve missed the point.
[Source: SouthAfrican & 94.7]
