Crackdown on deadly matric 'pens down' celebrations

With matric finals just days away, the thrill of end-of-year “pens-down” parties is clouded by fear. Authorities warn that past celebrations have turned deadly, leaving families to mourn young lives lost. The Departments of Basic Education and Social Development are ramping up nationwide campaigns to prevent another tragedy.

The push to curb “pens down” parties comes after repeated incidents of substance abuse, reckless driving, and alcohol poisoning. The risks were highlighted at Dinwiddie High School in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, where five learners died in a pens-down party-related incident in 2023. The tragedy followed the 2022 Enyobeni Tavern disaster in the Eastern Cape, where 21 teenagers died following a party.

Tebello Mkhonto, Substance Abuse director at the Department of Social Development, said the department is "finalising plans for the anti-pens down parties campaign".

Terrence Khala from the Department of Basic Education said the department will be holding a briefing on Monday, and "pens down" parties is one of the issues that will be addressed. 

“We work closely with our provinces and communication teams to ensure consistent information-sharing. This has been particularly strong in provinces such as the Eastern and Western Cape. We do have a campaign planned for this year, which will be unveiled then.”

The campaign’s focus varies by province. The DBE has highlighted strong awareness efforts in the Eastern and Western Cape, where these incidents have historically been frequent. In KwaZulu-Natal, the emphasis is on safe, supervised celebrations, responding to large events like the Ballito Rage Festival and encouraging collaboration between parents and schools. In Gauteng, particularly Ekurhuleni, attention is on schools such as Dinwiddie, where substance abuse is rife and national departments and non-profits are focusing their efforts. 

Dinwiddie High School in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, launched an anti-substance abuse and anti-pens-down party campaign earlier this week, aiming to tackle a problem that runs deeper than end-of-year celebrations.

Grade 11 pupil Aphumelele Sipunzi, 16, who lost her brother in the car accident, taking a leading role in raising awareness.”

“My brother and his four friends were on their way back, and the driver I guess he didn’t see the sharp turn at night and crashed the car into it, and fell off the cliff and burned. So after his death and the funeral, I really sat myself down and tried to accept that my brother is no longer there.”

Learner Shelton Gininda, said the normalisation of drinking and smoking among teenagers fuels the problem.

“It’s a social norm that teens drink, teens smoke. I won’t say Dinwiddie is the worst but it is also one of the schools that smoke. The teachers, in my insight, do try whenever they catch someone smoking they call their parents. And also now parents don’t know what to do about this thing. I always blame social media and what they us into believing what is right. Which is wrong, which is something that cost 5 lives and many more people.”

Teacher Zainab Mtolo said the problem is complex and requires collective effort. “A lot of our learners are always under the influence... And you know when you really sit down with these kids find out why they are doing these things, often it is them wanting to find a form of escape... because they do not have the support system.”

She believes collaboration is the only way forward.

“My hope for learners and the school is to have a support-based team that can help these learners by having these organisations on board with us referring learners to these organisations.”

In response to growing concerns about end-of-year “Pens Down” celebrations turning deadly, World Changers Candidate, an organisation that supports learners affected by drugs, has launched the 2025 “Say No to Pens Down Parties” campaign at Dinwiddie High School.

Founder Lucas Mahlakgane said: “This phenomenon has been growing year after year, affecting more young people since the legalisation of dagga. We are calling for the banning of "pens down" parties, along with strict penalties for anyone found supplying alcohol or drugs to minors.”

He added that prevention remains the most effective strategy. “These programmes are aimed at raising the dangers of drugs and substance use which always lead to risky behaviours and addiction. Our message is for anyone never even to start. We have seen some positive impact from our campaign where learners take a pledge, stay out of drugs, and become World Changers Candidate ambassadors. We are encouraged by the Department of Social Development and the Department of Education’s support. There’s hope, just one Soul at a time.”

Supporting the campaign, Chairperson of the Central Drug Authority Nandi Mayathula-Khoza commended learners who have chosen not to take part in “pens down” parties.

“We also want to thank all the matrics and other learners in advance for deciding not to participate in the dangerous parties after your exams but to celebrate your end of high school education with dignity, pride, and with responsibility to save your lives. This way, you will also prevent all forms of tragedies that could happen such as the unfortunate loss of five young lives from this school in the past, linked to the pen-down parties and the loss of 21 young lives at Enyobeni tavern in the Eastern Cape.”

Mayathula-Khoza praised the campaign’s ongoing success, saying: “The Central Drug Authority remains proud of the World Changers Candidates for implementing this effective campaign for several years. You have saved so many lives and prevented gender-based violence and drug overdoses.”

While authorities and educators warn against the risks, parents also share mixed feelings about the tradition. Vee Gani of the KZN Parents Association said he understands the appeal from both sides.

“If you've been together in high school for five years or so, you've developed relationships and friendships with people. You spent a lot of time with them and you’ve formed a bond. The problem is, where the parties become excessive, where there's alcohol and drugs involved. You don't know that your drink or juice has been spiked.”

Gani said it’s equally worrying for parents. “I know a number of parents frown upon that kind of practice for the mere reason that there is uncertainty about what happens.”

Despite the concerns, large-scale youth events continue. Ballito, for instance, is preparing for its annual Rage Festival, a week-long party drawing matriculants from across South Africa. This year’s festival runs from November 29 to December 6 and is open to anyone aged 18 to 25.

The festival’s website describes it as “the moment you have been waiting for your whole life… the only place where thousands of students from across the country come together to celebrate their freedom. For 12 long years, school has been all you have ever known - rules, uniforms, and routines shaping every moment. But now it is finally time for you to break free and step into adventure.”

Teachers, however, are urging caution. Thirona Moodley, who represents teachers’ union Naptosa in KZN, said learners deserve to celebrate their achievements - but safely. “We can't limit our learners' experiences as well. They’ve studied really hard the whole year and they have to have some fun, but it must be in a safe, controlled environment.”

Moodley added that schools and parents should work together to keep learners safe. “The parents can monitor the periphery… if you have shifts of the parents coming in and volunteering their time, that would be wonderful. So it has to be a collaboration between the school and the parents to ensure safety at all costs.”