Gwarube explained that leaked materials were shared through removable storage, messages, screenshots, and printed copies.
Students who cheated during the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations but have not yet been identified among the 40 implicated candidates will still face consequences if they are later uncovered.
This warning was delivered by Umalusi CEO, Dr Mafu Rakometsi, on Friday during his briefing on the report into irregularities detected at the Department of Basic Education (DBE) offices, following a national investigation into leaked examination papers.
Leak confirmed in key subjects
Rakometsi confirmed that the investigation stemmed from an announcement made by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on 11 December 2025 of a serious breach involving several high-stakes papers.
“There had been a breach in connection with the NSC Mathematics Papers 1 and 2, Physical Sciences Papers 1 and 2, and English Home Language Papers 1 to 3 examinations,” Rakometsi said.
In response, a National Investigation Task Team (NITT) was established to independently probe the source and spread of the leak and report its findings to Umalusi.
Education minister Siviwe Gwarube later confirmed the breach originated within the department’s “secure national examinations environment” where papers are set, processed, and managed.
She said action had already been taken against alleged corrupt department officials by putting them under precautionary suspension, pending possible internal disciplinary action and criminal charges.
The minister added that the results of the 40 implicated candidates would be withheld temporarily while investigations continue. Each candidate will be subjected to an independent hearing.
The matter has been reported to the SA Police Service.
Investigation finds breach was localised
Rakometsi said the NITT, presented its report to the Executive Committee of the Umalusi Council on 6 January 2026.
“Without going into the specifics […] the overall conclusion of the investigation is that the leak was limited to the three subjects or seven papers mentioned already, and that the leak was contained to around 40 candidates in seven examination centres in the Pretoria area,” he said.
Gwarube explained that leaked materials were shared through both digital and physical means, including removable storage [such as USBs or portable hard drives], messages, screenshots, and printed copies.
“The NITT further cautioned that evolving technologies, including AI-enabled tools, can be used to disguise misconduct, reinforcing the need to modernise prevention, detection and invigilation controls.”
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Credibility of results remains intact
Umalusi sought to reassure the public that the integrity of the 2025 NSC examinations had not been compromised nationally.
“Considering that the report singles out about 40 candidates out of a total population of approximately 600 000 who wrote the examination in the three subjects across the country, Umalusi wants to assure the public that the breach was localised and therefore cannot dent the overall credibility of the 2025 NSC results,” Rakometsi said.
More than 204 000 candidates wrote Physical Sciences, over 254 000 wrote Mathematics, and 135 090 sat for English Home Language.
Rakometsi said the final approval statement would outline how the results of the implicated candidates would be handled.
Warning to those not yet caught
However, the strongest message was directed at pupils who may have benefited from the leak but have not yet been identified.
“While the number of implicated learners currently stands at around 40, there will be consequences for anyone who is not included in the number now should they be discovered later on,” Rakometsi warned.
He said the work of the NITT was ongoing and that Umalusi had far-reaching legal powers.
“Umalusi is empowered by section 21, subsections 2, 3 and 4 of the amended GENFETQA Act to cancel a certificate after it has been issued upon discovery of irregularities,” Rakometsi said.
Gwarube said if a candidate is found guilty, they “may have their results in the relevant subjects nullified and may be further sanctioned”.
“Sanctions include barring from writing the NSC examinations for up to three examination sessions.
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More than 900 000 sat for NSC
Umalusi chairperson Yunus Ballim provided further context on the scale of the examinations, revealing that the NSC accounted for the largest share of the national candidature.
“As a proportion of the total, the NSC, with more than 927 000 candidates, accounted for the largest share of the total candidature,” Ballim said.
According to Umalusi, 927 143 candidates wrote the NSC across the DBE, the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI).
903 561 full-time and part-time candidates wrote under the DBE, 17 414 sat for the IEB exams, and 6168 wrote SACAI exams.
Umalusi’s warning
Ballim said Umalusi’s quality assurance processes had uncovered recurring weaknesses across the system.
“Umalusi is seriously concerned about the recurrence of areas of non-compliance with regulations pertaining to internal assessment (Internal Continuous Assessment and Integrated Summative Assessment Task), particularly in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges,” he said.
Umalusi executive committee instructed that DHET “be placed under close monitoring during 2025.”
“Whereas the DHET has improved in some areas, there are areas that still need to be tightened up. In this regard, the DHET has been directed to work closely with Umalusi to address the areas in question to avoid their recurrence,” it said.
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