Umalusi has confirmed the results of pupils implicated in the 2025 examination paper breach will be withheld as it approved the release of matric results across all assessment bodies.
The decision was announced during a media briefing on approval of the 2025 examination results after an investigation into a leak involving mathematics, physical sciences and English home language exam papers.
According to Umalusi council chairperson, Prof Yunus Ballim, the executive committee endorsed the decision to block the affected results.
“The executive committee of council endorses the recommendation to withhold the results of candidates who are implicated in the alleged irregularities, including acts of dishonesty,” said Ballim.
The initial number of candidates found in the exam breach has increased to 40 from 26.
Ballim said “the increase stemmed from continuous investigation by the investigation task team.”
He said the national investigation task team found “the leaks were limited to the three subjects or seven papers mentioned.”
Ballim said the incident last occurred in 2021. He said since then the national senior certificate examination (NSC) process has not had an issue.
“This goes to show the level of improvement in security and the examination system.
“Umalusi wants to assure the public the breach was localised and therefore cannot dent the overall credibility of the 2025 NSC results,” said Ballim.
He warned further action could be taken if more cases are uncovered.
“While the number of implicated pupils stands at about 40, there will be consequences for anyone who is not included in the number should they be discovered later,” Ballim said, adding Umalusi has the power “to cancel a certificate after it has been issued on discovery of irregularities”.
Despite the breach, Umalusi approved the release of the 2025 matric results for all assessment bodies, including the department of basic education (DBE), the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI).
Ballim said the approval followed careful quality assurance processes and “there were no systemic irregularities reported that might have compromised the overall credibility and integrity” of the examinations.
Providing an overview of the 2025 examinations, Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rokometsi said more than one million candidates wrote the exams.
“About 1,026,000 candidates wrote the examinations across different qualifications and assessment bodies,” said Rokometsi.
He said the NSC accounted for most candidates, with more than 927,000 candidates writing matric exams at about 9,400 examination centres across the country.
Rokometsi said Umalusi’s quality assurance work was aimed at protecting the integrity of the examination system.
“The goal of the quality assurance processes is to ensure the assessments and examinations are conducted, administered and managed in accordance with the prescripts of the regulations that govern them, thereby ensuring the highest credibility and integrity of the Umalusi-issued certificates,” he said.
The results of all other candidates will be released as scheduled while investigations into the breach continue.
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