| Mariannhill | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -29.85°N 80°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | eThekwini |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Subdivision Name4: | Pinetown |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.46 |
| Population Total: | 835 |
| Population As Of: | 2001 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 3610 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
Mariannhill is a cluster of suburbs and townships in eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
In 1882, Trappist missionary Father Franz Pfanner established Mariannhill Monastery 16 km west of Durban.[1] He promoted local development and opened schools, health clinics, craft workshops, printing presses and farms providing work for hundreds of religious workers and others. The name is derived from those of the Virgin Mary and her mother Saint Anne.[2]
Due to its location close to the industrial townships of Pinetown and Durban, Mariannhill has attracted people from around the province of KwaZulu Natal who are seeking employment. This has led to the development and growth of several townships in Mariannhill: Mpola, Thornwood, Dassenhoek, Tshelimnyama, Mariannridge, KwaMamdekazi, St Wendolins, and others.
In 1909 the St. Francis College was founded in Mariannhill, combining separate schools for boys and girls that had operated since the mid/late 1880s.[3] Its faculty included the Zulu writer and poet Benedict Wallet Vilakazi.