The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the SABC Foundation organised a special breakfast to acknowledge the excellent results achieved by the 2017 NSC top achievers. More than 21 learners from various quintiles were invited to the Raddison Blu Hotel in Sandton on 04 January 2018, to join Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, Basic Education Deputy Minister, Mr Enver Surty, and Director-General, Mr Hubert Mathanzima Mweli and various education stakeholders as they celebrated the achievements of the shining stars of the Class of 2017. This initiative is an annual event held by the DBE to uplift the morale of learners, especially those in Grade 11 to inspire them to strive for excellence in their academic journey.

The SABC Group Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ms Nomsa Philiso, congratulated the top achievers for having made South Africa proud through their outstanding performance. “We hope that out of this group, there will be innovative thinkers who will assist Government to transform the lives of many South African citizens for the better,” remarked Ms Philiso.

In her address, Minister Motshekga, described the top achievers as the “bright sparks” of the Class of 2017, and remarked: “You can reach for the stars and actually get there. Just look at South African born Elon Musk who is leading the way in space exploration. This could be one of you sitting in front of me. I am told some of you want to be mechanical engineers, perhaps you will develop our next generation of space exploration. Some of you are planning on studying chemical engineering, perhaps you will solve some of our planets environmental, health or food security challenges,” Minister Motshekga said.

The Minister also thanked the various education stakeholders who played a crucial role in ensuring that the Class of 2017 was fully supported during the NSC Examinations. “Parental involvement in a child’s education is one of the most crucial indicators of success. We thank you for the contribution you have made and for the time and effort you have invested in your children to ensure that they have the time and space to achieve what they have,” concluded the Minister.

Tumelo Mashigo from the Muriel Brand School, in the Guateng Province, indicated that it took sacrifices and hard work to succeed academically. Mashigo thanked the Department for organising the breakfast, saying:  “I leave here empowered with courage to deal with any adversity that might come my way in the future”.