Top achieving matrics: 'Hard work, sustained focus, genuine interest in subjects key to success'

South Africa's top matric achievers from the Class of 2025 are celebrating outstanding results.

Zoey Anderson from Kingsmead College describes her 10 distinctions as the result of 'a lot of consistent effort over your whole school career' and credits careful preparation and time management for her success.

"It takes a lot of work, a lot. I think it's something that builds up over the years. It takes a lot of consistent effort over your whole school career to gain an understanding of the content and the subjects."

She now plans to study actuarial science at Stellenbosch University.

Rohan Curtis, a top achiever from Redhill School, secured nine distinctions.

He highlights the importance of support from teachers, family, and community.

"It's the knowledge that you can talk to someone, that you can fall back on someone, and that it's not the end of the world if you do happen to not achieve everything you wanted to. I think that's the biggest thing."

Curtis plans to study applied mathematics at the University of Cape Town.

Both students emphasised that hard work, sustained focus, and genuine interest in their subjects were key to their success, demonstrating that preparation and determination remain at the heart of South Africa’s top academic performances.

To listen to Anderson and Curtis in conversation with 702's Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: