The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has withheld the results of 40 National Senior Certificate (NSC) candidates from the 2025 cohort after they were implicated in an exam paper breach.
This was confirmed by the department on Friday, stating that the results will be withheld as the DBE and the National Investigative Task Team (NITT) continue their investigation.
Markers picked up the breach
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube told the media that the issue came to light last month when markers in Gauteng noticed unusual similarities between a candidates’ answers and the official marking guidelines.
“On the NITT’s recommendation, results for the implicated 40 candidates will be withheld temporarily while the official irregularity processes are completed,” Gwarube said.
Each candidate will face an independent hearing.
“Where a candidate is found guilty by the independent presiding officer, this finding, together with recommendations, will go to the Provincial Examination Irregularity Committee and thereafter the National Examination Irregularity Committee. Umalusi will be the final arbiter,” she explained.
Candidates found guilty may have their results nullified. And they could face further sanctions, including a ban from writing the NSC exams for up to three examination sessions.
“Those who compromise the NSC do not only break rules, they also attempt to steal opportunities from honest learners. We will pursue accountability through every appropriate disciplinary and criminal process,” Gwarube said.
Breach traced to DBE exam paper system
The breach originated in the DBE’s secure exam paper system.
The DBE has also suspended officials suspected of involvement. They include one whose child was among the candidates.
“Based on evidence available to date, the NITT reported that the breach was contained to 40 candidates in the Tshwane area, and therefore localised. This reflects a very small portion in comparison to the over 900, 000 candidates who wrote the NSC exams in 2025,” Gwarube noted.
She reassured the public that the integrity of the NSC remains intact.
“Umalusi’s certification is a clear assurance to every candidate, every guardian and every parent that the NSC 2025 remains credible. Markers are our first line of defence. And anomalies were detected and acted upon decisively. We will not compromise the future of honest learners because of the actions of a few,” she said.
She revealed that the source of the papers from the department’s offices is an HR employee. The said employee gave the papers to her son.
Suspect candidates confessed
Chairperson of the NITT, professor Chika Sehoole, said the suspected candidates were interviewed. They subsequently wrote statements on what they had confessed.
The NITT analysed those statements with other sources of evidence.
“The evidence which we gathered is that candidate one received a USB with the question papers and marking guidelines from their mother, an employee from the DBE in Pretoria,” said Sehoole.
Sehoole said the candidates used various communication channels to send the papers.
“The method of transmission was the use of multiple USBs, WhatsApp messages, hard copies and screenshots. Based on leaked marking guidelines meta, AI and ChatGPT was used by some candidates to restructure and reformulate answers.”
