[imagesource: Shelley Christians/Gallo Images]

What a lousy year to be a matric.

Your school year is severely disrupted, you are forced to rewrite two of the worst exams out there due to leaked papers (Mathematics Paper 2 and Physical Sciences Paper 2), and now your end-of-year blowout jol has just been cancelled.

Unless you went to Ballito Rage, in which case you should be isolating and getting tested for COVID-19.

Hey, if it makes you feel any better, matrics, it’s been a crummy year for the rest of the world, too, and life doesn’t get any easier when you become an adult.

Yesterday, Plett Rage, which had been pushed back from its usual November date to January 29 through to February 6 next year, was officially cancelled.

This via News24:

The Plett Rage has been cancelled after the organisers failed to get permission from Garden Route officials.

Organisers also decided it was the right thing to do morally given the information available on Covid-19, especially on the Garden Route where there was a resurgence of the virus.

“Obviously for the business, for the staff, it is disastrous,” organiser Ronen Klugman told News24.

This year would have been Plett Rage’s 21st birthday. They grow up so quickly.

Given that ticket sales had been halted, this seemed inevitable, and the announcement that we are now officially in a second wave only drives the point home.

Plett Rage is not run by the same organisers as Ballito Rage, and although Krugman says there was an opportunity to contest the refusal to grant permission in court, they chose not to.

You can see his full announcement below:

As with any cancellation, there comes the issue of refunds:

Regarding the refunds, they were in a difficult position given the work already done, and reduced salaries staff had already taken, and could only afford to refund 50%, given the advance expenditure.

They asked people to consider holding on to their tickets and to resell it to get 75% back when it became safe to hold the Plett Rage again.

Whilst official events will not go ahead, stopping matrics from descending on Plett to let loose may still prove difficult.

Yesterday, before the cancellation was announced, EWN spoke with some would-be revellers:

“Ever since grade 9, I think, my friends and I have all been planning our stay in Plett for the December holiday.”

He explained why matrics were risking their health to celebrate, despite the pandemic.

“We haven’t really had our matric year. We haven’t been able to go out or see friends. To go at the end of the year after writing and rewriting exams, to celebrate with people, what a way to end your high school career.”

He did add that they intended to take precautions, like wearing a mask and sanitising their hands, but logic often goes out the window after a day of drinking in the sun and a third Strawpedo.

[sources:news24&ewn]