Mandisa Shiceka School of Specialisation in the Gauteng West district is celebrating its matric results: a proud 82% pass rate, with 42% earning bachelor’s passes.
For many, the journey was rewarding but not easy.
Molcon Makhuthe, who passed with two distinctions, credited his family and teachers for their support.
“My brother Malvin and my sisters were with me throughout. Our school even let us study through the night. That helped a lot,” he said.
He plans to pursue a career in IT, with hopes of specialising in cybersecurity or data analysis. His top university choices include North-West University (NWU), the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Oratile Mashete, who was accepted at Eduvos and is awaiting responses from Wits and other universities, said ditching late-night study sessions helped him improve.
“I stopped cross-nighting and balanced my schedule. It worked,” he said.
For Bokamoso Setona, faith and focus were key.
“I distanced myself from distractions and put God first,” he said. He plans to study computer science at UJ.
Oarabetse Sebetwane, who bagged five distinctions, said discipline and hard work helped her stay calm under pressure.
“I give credit to my parents and my teachers, especially my physical science teacher,” she said.
Sebetwane wants to study medicine at Wits University.
Bongani Sanxa, who hopes to study architecture at UJ, said community support made a difference.
“Even people on the street would stop me and give advice. That helped me stay on the right path,” he said.
Departmental head of commerce Mzonhle Baninzi praised the class of 2025 for their discipline and commitment. “They gave us quality. We started preparing in January and drilled hard until July,” he said. “For struggling learners, we ran internal camps, with teachers teaching until 10 pm.”
He urged pupils who did not make it not to lose hope.
“There are only 26 universities in South Africa, but many more learners. If you didn’t get in, there are still colleges and other opportunities. You can come back and improve your results.”
TimesLIVE
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