"I am so driven, I want to challenge myself again. I want to enrol at Makerere University in Uganda or Ibadan University in Nigeria for a degree in music and anthropology," he told The Times yesterday.

"I am furthering my music career through study. I want to be a professor. I feel young again. Mandela did it at 75 and so can I."

Mabuse, who received his matric results after a long wait late on Friday, said returning to school after dropping out 45 years ago was a challenge.

"I have not been in class for 45 years. It took a lot of encouragement and motivation to be diligent. It was tough but my reasons for being at school kept me going," Mabuse said.

He enrolled in a dult s chool last year.

Mabuse took on eight subjects: English SG, Sesotho HG, cultural studies HG, economics HG, business economics HG, geography HG and history.

"I took English on standard grade and I loved and enjoyed business economics. I did very well in it," he said.

The Burn Out star said he is more than delighted at finally achieving his goal of finishing his matric.

The musician felt that not having completed his matric made him feel unsatisfied even though his music career was on the rise.

"I dropped out of matric because music took over [my life].

"I had forgotten that I am a high school pupil.

"The money and all the opportunities blew me away but deep down I needed my matric," Mabuse said.

He also considers his circle of friends an inspiration to want to achieve his matric certificate.

"I consider myself advantaged because my friends were educated and that was inspiring.

"I saw myself belonging to this league and I wanted to have the same experience and conversations," he said.

Mabuse learned that being a matric pupil was not easy and said he understood why people did not go back to school.

"Matric is a big challenge. The anxiety and trauma of waiting for your result can lead to suicide. I am an adult but I got to understand the worst experience of having to wonder whether I have passed or not," Mabuse said.

"When you are in matric you are alone. Your weakness is made public when you do not pass and this drives many to take their own life."