DBE officials suspended over matric exam paper leaks

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Published Dec 13, 2025

Questions are being raised about the integrity of the matric exam and marking process, after Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube confirmed that two officials from the national department have been suspended with immediate effect, following a serious breach that saw matric exam papers leaked to learners in Pretoria. The Minister says the irregularity was picked up by markers during the early stages of the national marking process, prompting a swift investigation. The leak affected seven schools in one Pretoria area, with just over 20 learners implicated, and the papers were traced back to a DBE employee who allegedly distributed them through a USB device. A National Investigative Task Team has now been established and Umalusi has been notified as the department works to safeguard the credibility of the 2025 matric results.

Meanwhile, AfriForum and several media organisations have secured a High Court victory allowing the continued public release of matric results using examination numbers only.
The ruling, handed down on yesterday by a full bench of the Pretoria High Court, confirms that publishing results in this manner does not violate the Protection of Personal Information Act. The court ruled that examination numbers provide sufficient protection of learners' identities while ensuring public access to results.

For more on this, we're joined by DBE Communications and Research Acting Director , Terence Khala and Alana Bailey, Head of Cultural Affairs at Afriforum.

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