Honorary and Emeritus Awards

Michael Knoll (Class of 1966)

Mike is a founder Old Boy having attended the College from 1962 – 1966. He is a qualified Professional Architect, registered with the appropriate statutory bodies with 44 years’ full-time experience. He has recently retired from BILD Architects, one of the oldest architectural practices (115 years) in South Africa and is now in private practice at home. He has extensive experience in the broader field of architecture – from concept design, detail design, technical documentation and contract administration.  Mike has fulfilled the role of either Principal Agent or working under a Project Manager on a very diverse range of building projects encompassing retail, corporate, commercial, educational, medical, residential, industrial and specialized buildings. Mike has been extremely involved over many years in design and building projects at St Alban’s College. He was appointed to the St Alban’s College Council in 2018 and also serves on the Planning Committee.

Robert van der Merwe (Class of 1970)

The first Albanian to achieve national selection in mainline sports (Swimming). Robert was selected to represent South Africa in 1970 and 1971, before representing the University of Miami in 1972 and being selected, in 1973, by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) to the prestigious ranking in the American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an “All American” Athlete (Swimming – 400, 800 free relay).

Martin Lundie (Class of 1971)

Martin attained elite status in Springboard and Platform Diving while attending St Alban’s College and continued his distinguished career after he matriculated. Martin’s accomplishments include:

• South African Junior Diving Champion from 1969-1971.
• Awarded Springbok Colours from 1971-1978.
• Received the South African Sports Merit Award presented by the State President and
• Minister of Sport and Recreation in 1975.
• South African Universities Champion 1976-1977.
• Awarded Full Blues by the University of the Witwatersrand in 1975-1976.
• Named University of the Witwatersrand Sportsman of the Year in 1976.
• South African 3m Springboard Champion in 1977.
• South African 1m Springboard Champion in 1978.

Martin’s passion for diving was reignited when he competed in the World Masters Diving Championships in 2014 in Montreal, Canada and 2024 in Doha, Qatar achieving the following results:

• 2014 3m and Platform World Masters Champion for the 60-64 age group.
• 2024 1m, 3m and Platform World Masters Champion for the 70-74 age group.
• 2024 3m Synchronized Diving Champion for the 100 or greater combined age group. (Martin’s combined team age was 130-the oldest in the competition).

Lundie’s performance as a diving champion is a triumph of perseverance and dedication, and his lifelong passion for excellence in athletic pursuit sets a sterling example for young sports stars.

Prof Anton van der Merwe (Class of 1979)

Anton is Professor of Molecular Immunology at the University of Oxford and Director of Graduate Studies at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. He is a leading expert in his field of medical research. After qualifying in medicine and completing a PhD at the University of Cape Town, he moved to Oxford in 1991 to work at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. His research focuses on working out how white blood cells, such as T cells recognise infected or cancerous cells. Recent advances in this area have resulted in revolutionary new treatments for cancer, such as checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T cells. His current interests include the health risks of exposure to radioactivity, especially radioactivity associated with nuclear energy and nuclear waste.

Oliver Gilbert (Class of 1988)

As a young school boy at St Alban’s College, Oliver set the College record in 1984 for the U14 50m Breaststroke in a record time of 35,1 seconds. The record has not been broken in 40 years.  Oliver has continued with his love for competitive swimming and has competed in six South African Masters Swimming Championships in the 45 – 49 age group, since 2016. His results are as follows: 50m Breaststroke x 3 golds, 2 x silvers and 1 x bronze, 100m Breaststroke he won all 6 golds, 200m Breaststroke he won all 6 golds and in his last SA Masters Champs he got gold for 100m and 200m Breaststroke, gold for 100m and 200m Backstroke, gold for 200m Individual Medley and silver for 50m Breaststroke.

Daniel Van Zyl (Class of 1989)

Dan played provincial rugby at Western Province and represented the Stormers as a scrum half in the Super 12 competition. He turned professional in 1996 when rugby itself became professional. He represented the Bulls in Super Rugby and also played against the British and Irish Lions. His inevitable call up to the Springboks side came in late 1997 for the tour to UK, France and Italy. His first Bok game was against the French Barbarians and he was on the bench v Scotland, France and England. In 2000, Dan toured again and earned his 1st full cap v England. Back in the day, you were never awarded a cap unless you actually took the field and obviously in a qualified Test game. Dan had another 11 occasions where he was also on the bench and he played 5 midweek games for the Boks, captaining them twice! He is Springbok No 665. He retired young in 2002 and moved to Ireland to coach. He has been at Carlow & Clontarf in the All Ireland League (AIL) Div 1 and became a Development Officer at Leinster Rugby. He has coached Leinster U18s/Youths and the Women’s squads. He has twice been involved in coaching the Irish Youths squad in 2009 – 10 and again from 2016 – 18 plus the Irish Students team.  In September 2018, alongside international coach and fellow World Rugby Educator, Johan Taylor, they opened up Rugby Academy Ireland, a pioneering independent international rugby academy aimed at helping aspiring players enhance their rugby and lifestyle skills, equipping students with an excellent education and the qualifications needed to begin a career in professional rugby.

Marthinus Ferreira (Class of 2000)

Marthinus has helped shape the South African food scene with his flair of food gastronomy inspired by his childhood favourites and influences from abroad and having worked with some of the world’s top chefs, including Chef Gordon Ramsey and Chef Heston Blumenthal. Trained at the Institute of Culinary Arts, South Africa’s leading school for world-class chefs, Marthinus received comprehensive and specialised training based on classic gastronomic principles, coupled with the ability to utilise innovative thinking and creative flair. Since 2001, Chef Ferreira has been working to refine his skills and to garner a deep and intimate *understanding of the culinary industry. He soon moved on to a position as Chef De Partie in 2002, working at La Colombe Restaurant until 2003 (one of the top 10 in South Africa at the time). Following this, he assumed the role of Head Chef at Circle Restaurant in Greenside where he received praise on his highly original menu from critics and co-workers alike. 2005 saw Marthinus heading off to the UK to discover a new world of cooking: he worked as Head Chef at the Riverside Brasserie, taking on the responsibilities of originating menus, training staff and developing the establishment as a whole. Always keen on learning, with a drive to be the best, Marthinus worked as a chef in numerous establishments such as The Fat Duck, Hind’s Head under Chef Heston Blumenthal and the Boxwood Café with Gordon Ramsay. Having worked with the world’s top chefs abroad, he returned to South Africa to open his own establishment in Johannesburg where he made his name with experimental and lightly nostalgic fine-dining cuisine. DW Eleven -13, won numerous awards over the years, was voted “winner” in the Eat Out Top 10 Awards in the years 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Top Gourmet Guide Awards, Top 100 under 30 in Mail and Guardian, 41st in the world on French Algorithm in 2016. In 2018 he was one of the Jurors for Africa and Middle East at the San Pelligrino Young Chefs competition where he was also a Mentor for Vusi Ndlovu who was awarded as one of the Top 7 Chefs.

Over the years Chef Marthinus has done numerous celeb guest appearances, publications and TV shows, appearing on the Espresso show, as a Judge on Master Chef, and head judge on The Ultimate Braai Master for the first two seasons.  In February 2022, wine estate owner, Gary Jordan announced that Marthinus would take over the reins of the newly revamped Stellenbosch Winelands Restaurant, The Jordan Restaurant with Marthinus Ferreira. Since opening Marthinus has been recognized and awarded numerous awards within the first year, the award of Best of Wine Tourism Restaurant, The Gourmet Guide award, Two Stars from The Eat Out Awards as well as a Luxe Global Award.

Jean-Philip Grobler (Class of 2001)

Known for his electro-pop duo, St. Lucia, Jean-Phillip is a South African singer and musician based in Konstanz, Germany. He is signed to Nettwerk Records and to date has released four albums: When the Night (2013), Matter (2016), Hyperion (2018), and Utopia (2022). At the age of 19, Jean left South Africa to study music at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (founded by Sir Paul McCartney) in England for three years, thereafter moving to Brooklyn, New York, where he spent 14 years with his wife (the second half of St Lucia). The move from New York to Germany has allowed Jean and his wife to make music and work on their album at home with their kids. St Lucia has nearly 500 000 active monthly listeners on Spotify.

Dylan Frittelli (Class of 2008)

Dylan is a South African professional golfer. While representing South Africa at every age group and senior level, Dylan won the 2007 World Junior Championship at Torrey Pines (San Diego), shortly after winning the SA Boys Matchplay and Strokeplay title. Dylan turned professional in 2012, shortly after making the winning putt for The University of Texas at the NCAA Championships played at Riviera CC. The three time All-American was a top 10 ranked amateur in the world when turning professional. He quickly gained status on the Challenge and Sunshine Tour’s, winning twice on the Challenge Tour before graduating to the DP World Tour in 2017.  Dylan claimed his first European Tour victory in 2017 at the Austrian Open, after losing in a playoff, weeks earlier at the Volvo China Open. Shortly after celebrating being named 2017 Graduate of the Year, he notched another win at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. After joining the PGA Tour in 2018, he won the John Deere Classic in his rookie season, and managed to make the Fedex Cup Playoffs 5 years in a row.  In 2020, Dylan finished 5^th at the Masters Tournament, and the next year finished 5^th at the Open Championship. Upon his return to the DP World Tour in 2024, he won the Bahrain Championship, for his 3^rd European Tour Title.

Mbongeni ‘Bongi’ Mbonambi (Class of 2009)

Bongi is a South African professional rugby union player. He made his senior debut during the 2012 Super Rugby season against the Crusaders in Pretoria. He was a member of the South Africa U20 team that competed in the 2011 IRB Junior Rugby World Championship. He was a key member of the 2019 Springbok World Cup team, featuring in the World Cup Final victory and becoming a World Champion. Bongi has since become a two-time World Champion when the Springboks won the World Cup in 2023 in France.  He became the 65^th player to captain the Springboks in a Test since 1891. Of the 932 players who have represented the Springboks at Test level, Bongi is only the second black player, after Siya Kolisi, to be afforded this honour.

Jason Jenkins (Class of 2013)

In 2016, Jason was included in a South Africa ‘A’ Rugby squad that played a two-match series against a touring England Saxons  He made his test debut for the senior Springboks on 2 June 2018 against Wales in Washington, D.C. at the age of 22. In 2015, he was named in the final squad for the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship and was capped several times during this tournament.  Jason currently plays for Leinster Rugby.

Jurie du Toit (1929 – 2009)

Jurie was a staff member at St Alban’s College from 1969 to 1975 and again from 1984 to 1996. Jurie was a Free State Rugby player turned coach, and who raised the status of Afrikaans at the College.  He was a successful teacher and his classes were never boring. He respected his pupils, took an interest in them and engaged with them. He was an entertaining communicator who made Afrikaans a popular subject, which pupils mastered without being aware of it.  Despite his strength, he was gentle and gentlemanly. Jurie was the founding Chairman of the Parents’ Committee, and with his exceptional masonry skills, he beautified the school with many walls, pillars and slating. The first house, Knoll House, was adorned with “koppie-klip”, the stone work around the College which was the work of Joe Wormser and later, Jurie du Toit, master-builder with stone. Jurie du Toit’s “hut” next to the Astro, and adjoining the Tennis Courts, was ironically built for Rugby, by Jurie. The hut now resides at Moshate. Jurie also served as Secretary for the New House (Ochse House) Construction Committee.

Tiny Zowa

Tiny, a veteran of the College, faithfully served as a member of staff since the tenure of the first Headmaster of St Alban’s College, Mr Anton Murray. She joined the College in 1974 as a Laundry Assistant, was promoted to Office Assistant in 1991, and thereafter to Laundry Manager from 2010 to 2013. She studied Early Childhood Development through INTEC while working at the College and attributed this to the help of Ma’am Daffon, Ma’am Stathakis and Mrs Dumas, who also taught her the art of balance sheets. Father Nel described her as ‘the life of the party’’ thanks to her boundless personality.  Her legacy will live on in the names of the First Team Rugby field, Moshate (Palace of the Kings), and the Astroturf Leseding (Place of Brightness), both of which she named. Tiny served the school for 40 years!  “Well done, good and faifhful servant!” Matthew 25:23.

Josiah Baloyi

One of the first-ever employees of St Alban’s College, Josiah served the school for 40 years. He entered the service of the school (before the first buildings went up) on 22 February 1962 as a young man of twenty. Within a year, his extensive knowledge of St Alban’s and his dedication to his work led to his promotion to foreman. Josiah retired from the College in 2003. The naming and dedication of Baloyi House took place on Saturday 17 September 2022 by the Right Reverend Allan Kannemeyer, the Bishop of Pretoria, in commemoration of Josiah Baloyi.

Tom Hamilton

Tom was first employed at the College in 1987 as a Mathematics teacher and soon thereafter became Housemaster in Knapp-Fisher House from 1989 to 1990. He was the Director of Academic Planning and Development from 1991 to 1996. He resigned to take up the position of Deputy Headmaster at St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown for four years between 1997 and 2001. He returned to the College in 2001 as Headmaster until December 2016. During his headship at St Alban’s, the school enjoyed a period of strong growth, including a significant increase in pupil numbers. Through his exemplary leadership, Tom firmly put St Alban’s College on the map of top South African schools and left his mark on the school.

Bruce Pinnock

In 1993, Bruce took up the appointment as Head of the English Department at St Alban’s College. Over the course of a nineteen-year career, Bruce was Deputy Headmaster of Knoll House, Head of the Sixth Form (1994-1999), 1^st Team Cricket Coach, MiC Hockey, and he closed out with an auspicious spell as Housemaster of Ochse House (2006-2011). At Ochse, the Pinnock mantra was “Ït’s all about the boys”. They loved him so much that Pinnock’s Corner is established as a place of fellowship and fun on a sports weekend.  Bruce retired in 2011.  He is the author of Every Journey has a Story, written for the 50^th Golden Jubilee in 2013.