The court ruled that publishing matric results on public platforms using exam numbers instead of names protects matriculants’ privacy.
The Information Regulator says it will study the judgment dismissing its application to block the publication of matric results.
The regulator was dealt a blow on Friday when the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled that publishing matric results on public platforms using only examination numbers, rather than names, protects matriculants’ privacy.
Judgement
Acting Judge Mark Morgan dismissed the regulator’s arguments as “fanciful” and likened its stance to “a poorly constructed thought experiment.”
The judgment is the latest in an ongoing battle over whether the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results could be published in newspapers using pupils’ examination numbers.
The Information Regulator said it has noted the full bench of the Pretoria High Court’s decision to set aside the application.
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‘Disappointed’
“Naturally, the Regulator is disappointed that the Court’s judgment was not in its favour.
“The Regulator has previously expressed the importance of judicial processes that may help to illuminate certain aspects of POPIA, particularly on the issue of the obligations of responsible parties in complying with the orders of the Regulator and in protecting personal information that they hold about data subjects, such as the matriculants in this case,” it said.
The Regulator said it will announce the next course of action following its failure to halt the publishing of the matric results.
Urgent application
It filed an urgent application to prevent the publication of the NSC examination results in newspapers, citing concerns about a potential violation of students’ privacy under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
This was after it issued an Enforcement Notice and an Infringement Notice, carrying a fine of R5 million, in late 2024 against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for failing to comply with the Regulator’s directive on the publication of matric results in newspapers.
Opposing application
However, the DBE opposed the application, with AfriForum joining the case as an interested party.
Despite the Regulator’s enforcement notice and a potential R5 million fine, the DBE planned to announce the results.
In recent years, the media have published results showing only a pupil’s unique exam number.
South Africa’s education regulator, Umalusi, has confirmed the 2025 matric results will be released on 12 January 2026.
The marking of examination papers will conclude on 18 December; after which, the quality assurance process will take place to ensure accuracy.
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