Siyabuswa - Mpumalanga's top matriculant, Solomon Thabiso Moabi, is on his way to becoming a top accountant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Moabi, 18, signed a bursary agreement with the auditing firm in his hometown of Siyabuswa and has secured a job for when he completes his B.Com degree at the University of Pretoria.
"I can't wait to finish my studies and start work. This is very exciting," he said on Wednesday.
Mpumalanga Education MEC Regina Mhaule congratulated him at a special ceremony at his former school, Hlalakahle Secondary School, in Vaalbank near Siyabuswa.
"He was able to raise the provincial flag high by becoming the first black learner to be the overall best performing learner in the province," she said.
She told teachers and learners to increase the matric pass rate from 70% to 100% this coming year.
"We have to extend our profound appreciation to this top school that has produced such good results in the past," she said.
Mhaule congratulated Moabi, who studied by candlelight, but was able to score 2070 out of 2 100 for all his matric papers -- only missing 30 points.
"That is a wonderful result," Mhaule said.
Moabi aims to achieve an average of 90% at university this year. "I know it will be harder to achieve but I am determined to do well. I expect everything to be different at tertiary level."
Moabi produced distinctions in all his seven subjects in the 2011 matric exams and also scored 100% in Accounting.
He wants to become a Chartered Accountant specialising in forensic accounting.
Moabi plans to travel to Pretoria next Friday to register at the university and settle in to his new varsity life.
"This is a new beginning," he said.
