While many schools celebrate university passes, St John’s College is celebrating a global breakthrough. Two standout members of the Class of 2025, Siza Gule and Menzi Bongwe, have officially secured their spots at Harvard University through the prestigious Early Action Programme.
This achievement is no small feat; with an global acceptance rate that has plummeted to roughly 3.2% – 4.2%, Gule and Bongwe are among a tiny elite selected from over 54,000 global applicants for the Class of 2029.
The Class of 2025 Excellence
The Harvard admissions were backed by a set of matric results that dominated the IEB landscape:
- 100% Pass Rate: All 149 matriculants passed, with 146 securing Bachelor’s Degree entries.
- Distinction Dominance: The cohort earned 558 distinctions, averaging a staggering 3.7 per pupil.
- High-Level STEM: While the national IEB average for taking Mathematics is 58%, at St John’s, it was 87%, with 60% of those students earning an ‘A’.
- Top Achievers: Ruhan Gosai and Siza Gule led the school with averages of 94%, while Luca van Tonder banked a massive 11 distinctions.
Meet the Harvard-Bound Scholars
- Siza Gule (9 Distinctions): A multidisciplinary talent who scored 100% in Dramatic Arts. At Harvard, he plans to bridge the gap between Law, Politics, and Theatre.
- Menzi Bongwe (9 Distinctions): A “Commendable Achiever” on the IEB national list, Bongwe is headed to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to major in Economics.
A Tradition of Global Leadership
St John’s has a long-standing “pipeline” to Harvard. Gule and Bongwe follow in the footsteps of previous alumni like:
- Sazi Bongwe (Class of 2021): Former Head Boy currently at Harvard studying Philosophy and English.
- Siyabulela Xuza: The world-renowned scientist and energy pioneer.
- Nhlakanipho Mkhize: Another notable Old Johannian who successfully navigated the Ivy League gates.
Did You Know? St John’s was founded in 1898 in a small villa on Plein Street with just six boys. Today, it sits on a world-class campus designed by Sir Herbert Baker, funded in part by a donation from diamond magnate Sir Thomas Cullinan.
