Special report: Mandela's Children

Special Report Mandela's Children

A separate South Africa

Last in a series of occasional articles documenting issues of South Africa's post-apartheid generation

Sun Special report

Living beyond racial bounds

One in a series of occasional articles documenting the issues of South Africa's post-apartheid generation

Mandela's Children

Diversity grows with grapes

One in a series of articles documenting the issues of South Africa's post-apartheid generation

Part 1 of 3: Tested in Soweto

The petite girl named Fezeka slides in at the end of the third row and strains to see over the shoulders of her high school classmates. She hears the voice - blaring through a bullhorn - of Busisiwe Ledwaba, the ebullient geography teacher, who is predicting great success on the momentous exams that begin this morning. Ever the brooder, Fezeka isn't sure she believes the upbeat words.

Part 2 of 3: At future's edge

"Wow," he blurts out. "Man."

Part 3 of 3: Paths revealed

Since 3 a.m., Monde Dweku has lain awake in bed, listening to the hoots and hollers of students getting good news from newspapers arriving at the Engen gas station across the street. He said he would check precisely at 5, so he waits as the clock above his bed tick-tocks slowly to the hour. It is Matric Day, the day when newspapers across South Africa fly off the presses bearing the answer to two questions that have tormented 528,525 high school 12th-graders for a month and a half: Did I pass? And if so, how high was my score?

An academic marathon for South African youth

The high-stakes matric exams are an academic marathon that a half-million South African 12th-graders endure for a solid month every year.