Despite losing both his father and his brother to gang violence when he was younger, Liam Rhode emerged as the top achiever at Lavender Hill High when he received his matric results on Friday.
The 18-year-old Rhode passed with one distinction. More than 50 000 Western Cape pupils passed the National Senior Certificate exams, adding to the province's 81.54% pass rate.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said the pass rate was achieved "despite an exceptionally challenging year".