Bolt backs matric rewrites with transport support

JUST days after South Africa released the 2025 National Senior Certificate results,  the largest matric cohort in the country’s history, mobility company Bolt South Africa has launched an initiative aimed at helping learners who will be rewriting exams or attending academic support programmes.

More than 900 000 learners wrote matric in 2025, with an official national pass rate of 88%. While many candidates passed, thousands will need to rewrite certain subjects or enrol in support interventions in the coming months.

Bolt says transport remains a significant barrier for many learners, particularly those living far from rewrite centres, schools, or academic programmes.

In response, the company has launched Bolt Your Matric Comeback, a campaign through which it will sponsor 1 000 rides for learners who need transport to rewrite exam centres, registered schools, or approved support venues. The company said the initiative represents an investment of R120 000, with each learner receiving one sponsored ride.

Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt South Africa, said the initiative is intended to help learners access rewrite opportunities and academic support.

“Matric results can feel final, but they are not the full story of a young person’s potential. At Bolt, we believe in forward momentum. We believe that second chances matter and that access should never be the reason a learner gives up,” Kalajdzic said.

According to Bolt, a dedicated voucher code will be released via the company’s official South African social media platforms closer to the rewrite and supplementary exam period. The vouchers will be geo-locked and destination-locked, and may only be used for trips to registered schools, rewrite centres, and approved exam or support venues within selected provinces.

The company said the initiative will focus on Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Western Cape, citing high learner volumes and transport challenges in those areas.

Bolt said the campaign forms part of its broader social impact and inclusive mobility programmes in South Africa.

Bolt operates in more than 50 countries and 600 cities globally, offering ride-hailing and other shared mobility services.