​Qaqambile Mdledle
Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga has commended the Matric Class of 2021 for setting the bar high, withstanding learning under the COVID-19 lockdown and still managing to attain exceptional results.
"The class of 2021 is the class of its own. This is the only class so far that studied for two consecutive years under the National State of Disaster," Motshekga said. 
The class of 2021 had to find effective ways to deal with the challenges, they had to build the resilience and courage, she said.
Motshekga was addressing the 33 Top Achievers at a breakfast session at the Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg on Thursday.
More than 800 000 matriculants wrote the 2021 year-end examinations.
"The department has laid a sturdy foundation for you, regardless of whether you become a doctor or any profession. The matric certificate is part of your history that you will be forever proud of." 
The minister acknowledged the contribution of educators and parents who gave the extra mile to support learners.
"The success we are celebrating is a national success. We thank the parents, teachers, and caregivers for not only supporting the learners but giving their extra time to help," she added.
The Department of Basic Education will announce the overall National Senior Certificate Examination Results this evening.
The department says it will abide by the ruling of the Pretoria High Court regarding the release of the matric results on media platforms.
Earlier announced that it would no longer make the results available in the public domain, as it reasoned this would encroach on the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act).
The order granted by the court means that all the matriculants will be able to either access their results online or via newspapers. 
The department said it will make available the results to stakeholders who requested access.
In addition to accessing results from media platforms, the department also urges candidates to register on the website to view the results when they become available.
Candidates will have to go through a two-step verification process before receiving confirmation of their registration.
A 13-digit ID number and Exam Number will be required for registration. The DBE website is zero-rated, which means it can be accessed whether you have data or not.
Meanwhile Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, together with the MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi, will on Friday, 21 January 2022, announce the provincial results.
The occasion will also be used to honour the top-performing students in the Gauteng province.