In a lively encounter, both teams ended the match a man short after Happy Jele and Kwanda Mngonyama were sent off in the second half.
Pirates started the game strongly and there was a chance in the opening minute when Kabelo Dlamini latched onto a cutback, but Maritzburg keeper Richard Ofori was well positioned to make the save.
Six minutes later there was another opening for the Soweto team when Vincent Pule beat the offside trap, but a combination of Nazeer Allie and Ofori snuffed out the danger.
The Team of Choice began to get more of a grip on proceedings around the midway point of the first half, and they had a sniff at goal in the 28th minute as Rushine de Reuck sent a header over the bar.
In a lively end to the stanza, Ofori reacted well to keep out a close range shot from Pule, while at the other end, Thabiso Kutumela and Bandile Shandu both had shots blocked before Kutumela had another effort saved by Wayne Sandilands.
Following the restart, Tshegofatso Mabasa went close for Bucs when he flashed a header just wide.
Maritzburg had a couple of promising moments in attack, but neither Jeremy Brockie nor Kutumela could find the target.
The hosts were then reduced to 10 men after a second yellow card was flashed at their captain Happy Jele, for a lunging foul on the speedy Kutumela.
It was Pirates who were creating more chances though, and it took a stunning point-blank stop from Man-of-the-Match Ofori to keep out Gabadinho Mhango with 20 minutes to play.
Ofori was at it again a few minutes later when he kept out a stinging shot from Mhango.
Then, after Mngonyama was also sent off for a second bookable offence, Bucs came within a whisker of scoring when Justin Shonga thumped a drive against the crossbar.
The Buccaneers continued to push for a winner all the way to the end of the game, but they were by frustrated as the Team of Choice stuck to their guns with some focused and committed defending to ensure a point on the road.
TEAMS
Pirates: Sandilands, Maela, Jele, Nyauza, Mabaso, Pule, Motshwari, Dlamini, Mhango, Makaringe, Mabasa
Subs: Mpontshane, Mako, Mlambo, Mulenga, Chabalala, Mbekile, Shonga
Maritzburg: Ofori, Mngonyama, Xulu, Morgan, De Reuck, Allie, Kunene, Claasen, Shandu, Kutumela, Brockie
Subs: Mpandle, Moseamedi, Mekoa, Timm Sanoka, Buchanan, Augusto
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