PICS: ‘Astonishing’ achievements from class of 2023

The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) is celebrating a 98.46% pass rate for the class of 2023, slightly higher than the 98.42% and 98.39% in 2022 and 2021 respectively.

Some of South Africa’s stellar pupils who obtained outstanding results shared their plans for 2024 with The Citizen:

Alexandro Deftereos achieved a 92% average and nine distinctions. Deftereos congratulated the class of 2023, along with their parents, teachers and friends, for ‘a job astonishingly well done’ and also encouraged other pupils who might have had challenges to push to the best of their ability.

“Coming into high school, I wasn’t always one of the top achievers, I was lazy. I remember in Grade 8 when I did badly in one of my tests. That was a wake-up call for me to pull up my socks and work harder,” he said.

“It’s important to balance your life, keep your personal life active as well, because during those hard times you will need your friends. But most of all, maintain your work ethic, because you’re not in a race with anyone but a marathon with yourself.”

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Deftereos is planning to study actuarial science at Wits University and still plays soccer to help him balance his mental and physical fitness.

Coming from a family with limited access to quality education, Thomas Madidimalo, through resilience, leadership and dedication to excellence, has served as an inspiration.

Madidimalo, who is from Soweto, joined St Stithians Boys’ College in 2021, in his Grade 10 year after securing a Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy scholarship. He obtained eight distinctions.

“I could say a lot of things but I would give all the credit to Jesus Christ. I worked hard, I asked a lot of questions in class,” he said.

Madidimalo is a lover of information technology, which he described as not just a course but a form of art, and will be furthering his studies at the University of Cape Town, where he will do mechatronics engineering.

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Ameer Buckus, a matriculant from Crawford International Lonehill, has not only excelled academically in the 2023 IEB results, but has also soared to new heights by obtaining his private pilot’s licence.

At the age when most youngsters aspire to become doctors, accountants, innovators or sportsmen, Buckus had already set his sights on the sky, aspiring to be behind the controls of an aircraft.

His journey to fulfil his dream took a significant leap forward as he earned four distinctions.

In October, he successfully earned his private pilot’s licence at the Lanseria Airport, a privately owned international airport in Johannesburg.

Joshua Braun Brooking of Redhill School earned his international baccalaureate diploma after achieving 42 points for mathematics (HL), English (HL), history (SL), chemistry (SL), physics (HL) and French ab initio (SL). He received academic honours in 2023.

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Tadiwa de Souza of Maragon Mooikloof High School took home eight distinctions in Afrikaans first additional language, business studies, computer applications technology, English home language, life orientation, mathematics, physical science and further studies mathematics with an overall pass mark of 86.15%.

Tyger Valley College’s Tholofelo Mnguni achieved six distinctions in Afrikaans, English, business studies, computer application technology, life orientation and life sciences.

Julian Kuni of St John’s College achieved 95.8% with 10 distinctions in Afrikaans first additional language, English home language, French second additional language, German second additional language, life orientation, mathematics, music, physical science, further studies mathematics, further studies physics.

Pinnacle College Rynfield’s Marco Dias achieved six distinctions in Afrikaans, engineering graphics design, life orientation, mathematics, physical sciences and life sciences.

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Visit The Citizen portal for your matric results: matric.citizen.co.za