Matric rage events will kick off in the Western Cape and other provinces this weekend, and we urge all of our candidates to celebrate safely and responsibly this year.

While 44 039 candidates still need to write Afrikaans Paper 3 on Friday, as well as a number of smaller exams that will be written next week, two large matric rage events will take place in Plettenberg Bay and Ballito this weekend.

We are pleased that large gatherings can now take place again, as tourism is a major contributor to our provincial economy, and coming together is an important part of growing up and acknowledging the next stage in our candidates’ lives. For the past two years, the focus has been on the risk of Covid-19 super-spreader events, after large clusters of cases occurred during such events in 2020 and 2021.

While the level of risk in terms of the pandemic is now lower, this does not mean that matrics should let their guard down completely.

It is understandable that the Class of 2022 would like to let their hair down and celebrate the end of a difficult few years at school, but we urge them to do so responsibly and in moderation, especially in terms of alcohol consumption.

We urge all matrics attending these events to:

• Familiarise themselves with the safety measures at the event itself, and the relevant local emergency phone numbers;
• Keep a close eye on their valuables at all times;
• Similarly keep a close eye on their beverages at all times, and not leave them unattended;
• Report anything suspicious to SAPS or the event organisers immediately;
• Avoid drinking and driving; and
• Set up a buddy system for their own safely, as well as keep in regular contact with their parents.

We do not want to have our candidates’ end-of-year holidays spoiled by becoming targets of crime or being involved in a serious accident.

We appeal to parents to make sure that their children understand the risks associated with large social events, and impress upon them the need to behave responsibly so that everyone can enjoy themselves in a safe and respectful manner.