Two officials from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) have been suspended and are likely to face criminal charges following a security breach detected during the marking of the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, confirmed that the department’s internal monitoring systems flagged the irregularity, which has been linked to pupils from several schools in Pretoria. A special investigative task team has been established.
According to the department’s findings, the breach originated within the DBE’s examination unit. A total of seven question papers were illicitly accessed prior to the exams. The compromised papers are English Home Language Papers 1, 2, and 3; Mathematics Papers 1 and 2; and Physical Science Papers 1 and 2.
The papers were allegedly shared via a USB storage device. Preliminary investigations suggest a DBE employee within the examination unit provided the papers to another DBE employee who has a child in Grade 12.
“The spread seems to be confined to seven schools in a specific area in Pretoria,” Minister Gwarube stated. She emphasized that evidence currently points to a limited incident involving approximately 26 learners across those schools, with no sign of a systemic, nationwide breach.
“Our investigations show that this incident was limited to a few individual learners… There’s no evidence of systemic widespread breaches and as such we don’t expect this to affect the credibility of the NSC,” Gwarube said.
The department has reported the matter to the South African Police Service (SAPS). “One is not allowed to be in possession of stolen state property and that is the element in which we’ve reported to the SAPS,” the Minister added, warning that candidates found guilty could be barred from writing exams for three exam cycles.
Gauteng Education Department (GDE) spokesperson, Steve Mabona, commended the vigilance of the exam markers who detected the anomaly. “From where we’re sitting, we want to commend our markers for their vigilance,” Mabona said, attributing the detection to the department’s training and internal checks and balances.
Mabona sought to reassure the overwhelming majority of the over 190,000 candidates in Gauteng and the roughly 900,000 nationally. “We are comforted that the integrity is not compromised… it’s a drop in an ocean,” he stated.
The national investigative task team is now conducting a full probe, which will include interviewing implicated candidates and invigilators, and performing statistical analysis of answer scripts. Minister Gwarube expects a preliminary report by December 29, with a final report submitted to her and the director-general by December 31.
Despite the investigation, the department insists the release of the matric results will not be delayed for unaffected pupils. The results are still scheduled to be announced by the minister on January 12, with statements available from January 13.
“The ongoing investigation into suspected matric exam irregularities will not delay the release of results for pupils who are not implicated,” a department spokesperson confirmed.
