South Africa

The remote South African student town where private schools cost up to R410,000 per year

Kirsten Minnaar • 11 October 2026

Grahamstown, now known as Makhanda, is home to some of the best schools in the country, including Rhodes University, St. Andrew’s College and Kingswood College.

Located in the Eastern Cape, the town has a history stretching 200 years and has developed from a military outpost into an important educational and cultural centre.

Grahamstown was established in 1812 as a military outpost by Lieutenant-Colonel John Graham during the Cape Frontier Wars.

The British government wanted to strengthen its control over the eastern frontier following the expulsion of Xhosa communities from the Zuurveld.

The town was initially intended to serve as the headquarters of the Cape Hottentot Corps, with construction beginning around what is now Church Square.

Conflict with the Xhosa continued, and eventually culminated in the 1819 attack on Grahamstown led by Makana, a Xhosa warrior and prophet.

Thousands of Xhosa fighters attacked the town in an attempt to halt the expansion of British settlement. The attack was eventually repelled by the British.

A major development for the town came a year later with the arrival of the 1820 British Settlers. Many of them struggled on the agricultural land they were allocated and eventually moved towards Grahamstown.

Here they resumed their trades as artisans, craftsmen and businessmen. This helped the town grow into an important commercial centre.

Within a few decades, Grahamstown had become one of the most important towns in the Cape Colony and was once the second-largest town in South Africa after Cape Town.

As the region’s military importance declined, education became increasingly central to the town.

The legacy of this period can still be seen in its large collection of historic buildings, churches and monuments. Notably, Makhanda has more than 70 declared National Heritage Sites.

These include the Cathedral of St Michael and St George, the 1820 Settlers’ Monument, Fort Selwyn and the Observatory Museum.

The first jail was built from 1813, and a larger second gaol was constructed in Somerset Street between 1823 and 1824.

The latter remained in operation until 1975 and was restored in 2014 using original materials.

Makhanda today

While Makhanda is no longer one of the largest towns in South Africa, it is one of the most impressive schooling regions in the country.

Rhodes University, founded in 1904, is the town’s main tertiary institution and is home to 8,700 to 9,300 registered students.

There are also several of the country’s most exclusive private schools, including St. Andrew’s College, St. Andrew’s Preparatory School, Diocesan School for Girls and Kingswood College.

St. Andrew’s College will set parents back R409,815 per year for students in grades 8 to 12. Diocesan costs up to R368,100, while Kingswood College costs up to R360,930.

The town also has several public schools, including Graeme College, Victoria Girls’ High School, Mary Waters Hoërskool and P.J. Olivier.

Other tertiary institutions are Eastcape Midlands College, Stenden South Africa, the College of the Transfiguration, and specialist training institutions.

Makhanda’s educational institutions attract students, academics and families, contributing to a diverse population and supporting the local economy.

The town also offers other attractions beyond its schools. Every year, Makhanda hosts the National Arts Festival, one of Africa’s largest arts events.

The festival runs across venues throughout the town, including theatres, schools, churches, and outdoor spaces, and attracts visitors from across South Africa and beyond.

Makhanda is also part of the Eastern Cape’s Frontier Country tourism region. Visitors can explore its historic architecture and museums, as well as nearby nature reserves and game areas.

The town’s attractions include the Albany Museum, the Observatory Museum, the 1820 Settlers’ Monument, and Makana Botanical Gardens, which was established in 1853.

The surrounding region provides access to the Sunshine Coast and nearby game reserves.