Primary training minister Siviwe Gwarube has promised an investigation after an internet site allegedly started promoting entry to the outcomes days earlier than they have been formally launched.
The outcomes have been allegedly printed on the web site of a Johannesburg-based firm known as Edumarks. The corporate reportedly presents matric pupils entry to their full outcomes, together with topics and percentages, charging R99.90 for the privilege.
On the time of publication, the Edumarks web site was offline and inaccessible. TechCentral was unable to succeed in the corporate for remark.
Social activist Yusuf Abramjee first printed the allegations on X on Saturday, questioning the integrity of the examination course of and demanding solutions from the division of fundamental training (DBE).
Abramjee shared a screenshot of a pupil’s outcomes, allegedly obtained by the Edumarks web sites, highlighting the potential for a critical breach of safety.
Some customers complained about Edumarks on Trustpilot, a assessment platform, saying that they had paid for his or her outcomes however hadn’t obtained them. Others professed they have been happy to obtain their outcomes forward of their official publication.
Quoted on Monday by TimesLive (paywall), the Basis for Training and Social Justice’s Hendrick Makaneta mentioned it was “deeply troubling” that Edumarks is allegedly promoting the matric outcomes earlier than the DBE formally releases them. He known as for an investigation, urging the DBE and the Particular Investigating Unit to intervene to make sure transparency and accountability.
Hawks ‘enlisted’
On Monday, Gwarube, the essential training minister, warned that the alleged leak might be investigated absolutely.
“The Hawks have been enlisted and are everywhere in the matter,” she advised a media briefing. “We’re investigating at DBE … and if the method comes from our facet, then we are going to take care of it. If the breach has come from the act of sharing the outcomes with sure stakeholders, which we have to do for seamless distribution of the outcomes, then we are going to take care of that, as a result of meaning we have to tighten our processes. If we’ve been sufferer of a cybercrime, then we [will deal] with it by state safety and the Hawks.”
The controversy follows a latest excessive courtroom ruling in favour of the DBE that allowed for the publication of the matric ends in the media. It adopted a authorized dispute with the Data Regulator, which had sought to stop the general public launch of the 2024 outcomes, saying it could be in violation of the Safety of Private Data Act (Popia). The regulator argued that publishing particular person names and outcomes would represent a breach of privateness.
The DBE maintained that publishing ends in the media was a long-standing custom and an important technique of informing college students, mother and father and the general public about instructional outcomes.
Finally, the courtroom thought of the general public curiosity in accessing the outcomes and the potential damaging affect on pupils if publication have been to be halted, resulting in the ruling in favour of the DBE. — (c) 2025 NewsCentral Media
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