THE Sasol garage on Chota Motala Road in Raisethorpe was turned into a mini “Matric Rage” on Wednesday night as eager matric pupils, their friends and family gathered, hoping to be the first to get the newspaper and see their results.
Asked by The Witness how many people were there, Sasol Raisethorpe owner Riaz Bellim said he wasn’t sure. “It was a lot of people,” he said.
Cars lined the street on both sides of Chota Motala Road, and the open area across the road from the garage was a hive of activity with people driving in and out.
Bellim said people had been gathering there for the last five years on the day the names of those who passed matric were published.
“The phones have been ringing non-stop,” he said. “Parents and pupils all want to know what time they can get the paper.”
The garage was cordoned off with security guards at the entrance, while parts of the garage forecourt were decked out with wooden chairs and benches.
“Sometimes it’s nice to see the people’s reactions when they pass. But we don’t allow any unruly behaviour like loud music and the spinning of wheels,” he said, adding that drugs and alcohol were also not permitted.
“It’s always been peaceful. We’ve never had any incidents. If something does happen, we have security on hand and those people will be removed,” he said.
The release of the results on Wednesday saw 73,1% of matriculants pass in KwaZulu-Natal. The national pass rate stood at 73,9%.
