The Valedictory Ceremony for the Class of 2025 was a momentous occasion filled with pride, reflection, and celebration. Held on 9 October, the event marked the culmination of years of dedication, growth, and shared experiences for our matriculants.

The ceremony began with a warm welcome from Mr Brouard, who commended the graduates for embodying the school’s values throughout their journey — from their deep sense of community and family to their commitment to holistic excellence in every endeavour.

Mr Brouard, spoke movingly about the shared journey of the Class of 2025 — a journey marked by integrity and faith, resilience, and friendship. As the images of the boys’ younger selves and their faces now were projected on the screen, the spirit of a cohort that has upheld our traditions while embracing innovation, finding strength in one another and courage in change could be felt.

Adding to the significance of the occasion, the Chairperson of the St Benedict’s Old Boys’ Association, Mr Roberto Riccardi, delivered an inspiring address to the graduating class. He encouraged the boys to carry forward the school’s legacy of scholarship and influence, to remain guided by integrity, and to contribute positively to their communities. In his speech, he also extended a warm welcome to the Class of 2025 as the newest members of the Old Boys’ Association — inviting them to stay connected and continue the lifelong bonds that define our school family.

As the event drew to a close, the atmosphere was filled with joy, gratitude, and anticipation for the future. The Class of 2025 now move forward as confident, compassionate young people — ready to make their mark on the world with purpose, principle, and pride.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of awards recognising excellence, leadership, service, and character. These awards celebrated pupils who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the school’s values of community and family, holistic excellence, relationship and engagement, integrity and faith, scholarship and influence, and tradition and innovation. The most significant award, seldom issued, was the Magna Cum Laude blazer which was awarded to the 2025 Head boy, Tayte Gregory.

 

Awards and recipients

Senior Academic Half Colour Awards are awarded to pupils in Grade 12 who have achieved an average of between 70% and 75%.

  • Blignaut, Jessin Tomas
  • Dionisio, Gianluca
  • Gregory, Tayte
  • Jeffries, Ryan
  • Jones, Russell
  • Linaker, Declan
  • Madungandaba, Amukelani
  • Martin, Shae
  • Masibhera, Kuzivakwashe
  • Michaelides, Alexandros
  • Millington, Calder
  • Ntshangase, Thato
  • Parbhoo, Alexander
  • Payne, John
  • Scullard, Zach
  • Simelane, Ditiro
  • Steyn, Matthew
  • Zinyenge, Tendai

Soccer Merit Award

  • Alexi Dobas (Gr12)
  • Keenan Sparrow (Gr12)
  • Khutso Maupa (Gr12)
  • Philip Gwanyuki (Gr12)
  • Mathew Palinhos (Gr12)
  • Talhah Boda (Gr12)

Team Blazer

  • Makata Rapetsoa (Gr12)
  • Osimane Kgope (Gr12)
  • Karabo Mphande (Gr12)

Full Colours – Re Award

  • Makata Ramaphoas (RA) (Gr12)

Full Colours

  • Osimane Kgope (Gr12)
  • Kalleb Hatlemariam (Gr12)
  • Karabo Mphande (Gr12)
  • Matteo Luis (Gr12)

Oratory Merit Award

  • Jack Hann (Gr12)

Full Colours – Re Award

  • Amukelani Madungandaba (Gr12)

Full Colours

  • Gianluca Dionisio (Gr12)
  • Tayte Gregory (GR12)
  • Calder Millington (Gr12)

Chess Full Colours

  • Diego Brazao (Gr 12)
  • Charlton Chung (Gr 12)
  • Gianluca Dionisio (Gr12)

Music Half Colours

  • Charlton Chung (Gr 12)

Senior Academic Full Colours are awarded to pupils in Grade 12 who have achieved an average of 75% or more.

  • Adams, Cameron
  • Bastos, Gabriel
  • Boda, Talhah
  • Brazao, Diego
  • Brites, Cristiano
  • Brouwer, Lakin
  • Chung, Charlton
  • Dong, Peter
  • Dos Anjos, Diego
  • Dos Santos, Jordan
  • Ejike, Ikechukwu
  • Emwanu, Adrian
  • Evans, Hayden
  • Findlay, Michael
  • Forka, Pundit
  • Gittings, Adham
  • Hann, Jack
  • Holm, Dylan
  • Hong, Chris
  • Hubbard, Kevin
  • Kgope, Osiame
  • Kumnig, Keagan
  • Kung, Keegan
  • Magagula, Kwanda
  • Mak, Ka Shing
  • Manaswe, Sikolakhe
  • Martins, Marcio
  • Maupa, Khutso
  • Mendes, Marco
  • Moll, Christian
  • Nare, Ipeleng
  • Odgers, Connor
  • Padayachi, Saien
  • Pereira, Jordi
  • Perry, Joshua
  • Pharo, Tyler
  • Saffy, Luca
  • Scott-White, Andrew
  • Sookdeo, Arav
  • Sparrow, Keenan
  • Stiff, Nicolas
  • Teka, Kaleb
  • Thompson, Cayden
  • Toich, Nicola
  • Van Zyl, Ryan
  • Verwoerd, Wilhelm

Music Full Colours

  • Ka-Shing Mak (Gr12)
  • Arav Sookdeo (Gr 12)

Music Honours

  • Calder Millington (Full Colours: Academics, Water Polo & Oratory)

Subject trophies

  • The Lindsay Pierre Collet Trophy for English – Pundit Forka
  • The College Cup for the best Afrikaans pupil – Adham Gittings
  • The Blessed Benedict Daswa trophy for isiZulu – Lwazi Radebe

College Bilingualism awards (a distinction for their English and their First Additional Language)

  • Brazao, Diego
  • Brites, Cristiano
  • Chung, Charlton
  • Dos Anjos, Diego
  • Dos Santos, Jordan
  • Emwanu, Adrian
  • Forka, Pundit
  • Gittings, Adham
  • Hubbard, Kevin
  • Mak, Ka Shing
  • Odgers, Connor
  • Scott-White, Andrew
  • St Jerome trophy for Bilingualism (highest average when combining his English average and First Additional Language average) – Christian Moll
  • The Soderlund Cup for Mathematics – Charlton Chung
  • Golden Ratio Certificates for Mathematics (a distinction in Maths, Further Studies Mathematics and Physical Science):
    • Brazao, Diego
    • Chung, Charlton
    • Dos Santos, Jordan
    • Pundit Forka
    • Moll, Christian
    • Scott-White, Andrew
  • The Serafino trophy (highest average in the 3 subjects making up the Golden ratio) – Diego Brazao
  • The College Trophy for Maths Literacy – Alexandros Michaelides
  • The Tennyson Trophy for Further Studies English – Jordan Dos Santos
  • The College Trophy for Further Studies Mathematics – Diego Brazao
  • The College Trophy for Life Orientation – Jordan Dos Santos
  • The Whelan Cup for Physical Science – Jordan Dos Santos
  • The St Cecelia Trophy for Music – Arav Sookdeo
  • The Janet Chalmers Trophy (highest practical mark in Music) – Arav Sookdeo
  • The Fra Angelico Trophy for Visual Arts – Kwanda Magagula
  • The St Genesius Trophy for Dramatic Arts – Luca Saffy
  • The Pillay Trophy for Practical Performance (highest mark in Dramatic Arts Practical Performance and is based solely on the results achieved in the practical component of the Grade 12 portfolio) – Ditiro Simelane
  • The Moore Trophy for Accounting (top accounting student) – Christian Moll
  • The Coleen Mowatt Trophy for Business Studies- Keegan Kung
  • The College Trophy for Geography – Diego Brazao
  • The College Cup for History – Christian Moll
  • The Judi Mogg Trophy for Excellence in Social Sciences (highest combined average in History and Geography) – Declan Linaker
  • The College award for Life Sciences – Jordan Dos Santos
  • The Bridget Zajac trophy for excellence in Life Science practical work – Jordan Dos Santos
  • The College Award for Information Technology – Pundit Forka
  • The Jason Robinson Memorial Trophy for Information Technology (outstanding creativity in programming and enthusiasm IT) – Pundit Forka
    Our Dux Scholars (achieved the top three places in the Grade in Academics):

    • Bronze – Charlton Chung
    • Silver – Jordan Dos Santos
    • Gold & Povall trophy (overall academic dux) – Christian Moll (91.49%)

Sports Awards

  • Athlete of the year – Matteo Luis
  • The Cross-Country Runner of the year – Joshua Perry
  • The Basketball player of the year – Ikechukwe Ejike
  • The Cricketer of the year – Clayton Horlick
  • The Golfer of the year – Matthew Victor
  • The Hockey player of the year – Connor Odgers
  • The Rower of the year – Matthew Jasson
  • The Rugby player of the year- Wade Ramsay
  • The Soccer player of the year – Makata Rapetsoa
  • The Swimmer of the year – Ting Wei Deng
  • The Tennis player of the year – Joshua Perry
  • The Waterpolo player of the Year award – Ryan Jeffries
  • The Millennium Trophy (sportsmen who have represented SA internationally during their Grade 12 academic year):
    • Ikechukwe Ejike
    • Mathew Jasson
    • Corbin Sheasby
  • The James Merit Award for Sport is made to a pupil who has over the years involved himself in the sporting activities at the College and has given of his best. Besides sporting ability, conduct, loyalty and sportsmanship are taken into account. – Rhett Zillen
    This particular sportsman:

    • has been a crew member of the first 8 for three years.
    • was a National Rower in 2024
    • was appointed Rowing Vice Captain in 2025
    • has been a First Team hockey player for 3 years.
    • was a Provincial Hockey player in 2023 and 2025. And was appointed as Provincial hockey Vice – Captain in 2023.
    • His passion and dedication for sport, his sporting codes and his sportsmanship is beyond reproach.

Culture Awards

  • The Bandsman of the Year – Arav Sookdeo
  • The Chess Player of the Year – Charlton Chung
  • The Debater of the year – Amukelani Madungandaba
  • The Public Speaker – Tayte Gregory
  • The Franks Cultural Trophy (contributed to the enrichment of the Cultural Life of the College. The matric pupil who has earned the most points for Cultural activities in 2025 and whose commitment to the cultural life of the College and loyalty has been unsurpassed) – Charlton Chung

Service Awards

  • Gold in the President’s Award programme – Connor Odgers and Nathnael Beyene
  • For their service to our school Masses and religious life; the following young men are awarded Service Awards:
    • Jack Hann
    • Diego Brazao
    • Amukelani Mandungandaba
    • Kuzivakwashe Masibhera
    • Marco Mendes
    • Marcio Martins
    • Kwanda Magagula
  • Service awards for their commitment to the school’s media committee:
    • Alexi Dobas
    • Tendai ZInyenge
  • The Johannesburg Junior Council (JJC) is made up of 72 young leaders from 36 schools, working through six committees to empower youth and drive meaningful change to make a difference in their communities. In 2024, our councillors, Makata Rapetsoa and Amukelani Madungandaba, stood out through their work in the Sports and Recreation Committee. Makata helped introduce children to new sports, organised tournaments, and raised funds to provide equipment for youth in Soweto, an experience that pushed him out of his comfort zone and inspired him to give back. Amukelani experienced firsthand how sport breaks down barriers, from rugby in Bedfordview to football in Kliptown, showing how even small actions can unite and uplift communities.

Prestigious Awards

  • Overall Dux Awards (high level in Academics and Sport or Cultural activities):
    • Bronze – Connor Odgers
    • Silver – Christian Moll
    • The Trophy and Gold Medal – Charlton Chung
  • The Jedd Harris Award Leader of the Year for 2025 – Calder Millington
  • The Campbell trophy for Endeavour – Samkelo Khoza
  • The Fr Lionel Sham Trophy for Religious Education – Adrian Emwanu
  • The Father Galloway award for Community Service – Connor Odgers (completing 153 hours of community service since Grade 8)
  • The Headmaster’s Academic Award (sustained academic achievement and consistency, consistently in the top 10 since Grade 8) – Diego Brazao
  • The Senior Study Shield (successful achievement, a deep spirit of study and industry and excellent conduct) – Christian Moll
  • The Father De Sylva Honours Trophy is presented to our Headboy – Tayte Gregory
  • The Bishop Orsmond Shield for Service and Dedication to the ideals of St Benedict’s. Made a significant impact in all areas of College life, embraced the four pillars on which the fundamental ethos of St Benedict’s is based, body, soul, mind and heart and is an exemplary example of what we believe a St Benedict’s boy should be – Kevin Hubbard