Apparently the norm to go solo in South Africa is 28 to29 hours if you can believe the person quoted here
Crash pilot 'lacked respect for authority' | Stuff.co.nz
I'm sure aircraft fly the same way in South Africa as to what they do here, my experience is that most pilots solo in about 10 to 15 hours.
Do you think this guy was trying to cover up his inadequacies by saying the average was 28 hours?
At 33 hours I think would think that something was seriously wrong and would be suggesting a change of career, which is what appears to have happened in this case but this chap went off to another country to continue his folly. I wonder what stories he told to explain his past.
What's also hard to believe is that he still intends to carry on.
Just for the record I do not know any of the affected parties, I'm just flabbergasted at whats quoted in this news report.