“Looks Better Than 50-Year-Olds”: Hoërskool Pietersburg Celebrates Prof Volschenk’s 100th Birthday
- Hoërskool Pietersburg held a special celebration for Prof Pierre Volschenk, a former teacher and alumnus who turned 100
- Prof Volschenk is widely regarded as an iconic figure in South African art and sculpture history
- A ceremonial walkway lined with flag-bearing students welcomed the centenarian onto the school grounds
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A South African school stopped everything to honour one of its most beloved former teachers. On 24 July 2026, Hoërskool Pietersburg (PHS) in Limpopo celebrated Prof Pierre Volschenk reaching the remarkable age of 100.
Source: Facebook
The school filmed the occasion and shared it on Facebook, where it quickly drew an outpouring of emotion from former pupils and the wider community.
The video showed Prof Volschenk being welcomed through a ceremonial walkway, flanked by rows of uniformed students waving flags and applauding as he made his way through the crowd. An Afrikaans song played in the background, adding to the warmth and nostalgia of the moment.
Prof Volschenk is not only a former teacher at PHS but also an alumnus of the school, known affectionately as a "Pietie." Beyond his connection to the school, he is recognised as a significant figure in South African art history, with a career that spanned both sculpture and painting.
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The school described his legacy as one that lives not only in the artworks he created but in the lives of every learner he taught. One former pupil, Jaap Badenhorst, recalled that Prof Volschenk taught him art in matric back in 1960 and that he still owns three of the professor's paintings, one of which was a personal gift.
Hoërskool Pietersburg Prof Volschenk's centenary
PHS paid tribute to Prof Volschenk by saying that 100 years is not simply an age but a monument, and that no one is better placed to appreciate that than a man who spent his life building them. The school extended its congratulations on behalf of the entire PHS family and expressed deep pride in his contribution to both the institution and to South African culture. Watch the centenary celebration at Hoërskool Pietersburg by clicking here.
South Africans react to milestone
The video moved many who watched it, with former Pieties and strangers alike sharing their feelings in the comments:
@Marietjie De Jager Genis said:
"How incredible to look this good at 100! Health, Prof! To the next 100!"
@Hein Markotter wrote:
"As a fellow old Pietie, I pay tribute to Prof Pierre. He is an example of grace indescribably great. Let our school flag fly high , the green, the red, the blue!"
@Janka Van Niekerk shared:
"Just a tear in my eye!"
@Cherice Cherí Hunter commented:
"What, wow! He looks better than many 50-year-olds! Congratulations!"
@Lisette Anderson added:
"So special. You are a wonderful school with the most beautiful values and traditions."
@Elbie Swartz simply wrote:
"It is so special!"
Other Briefly News stories celebrating community
- Lieutenant Colonel Jacobus Gideon "Div" de Villiers, the longest-serving pilot in the South African Police Service, who retired after 46 years of dedicated service.
- South African Spar employee who received a heartfelt retirement celebration after 30 years of service in a TikTok video.
- A teacher went viral after receiving a royal send-off on her last day in the classroom, a heartfelt celebration of her dedication to education.
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Source: Briefly News
