Possible leak of 2024 matric outcomes would not affect integrity of results, minister Gwarube assures SA

13 January 2025 - 11:08
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Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube says the department suspects cybercrime was involved in the possible leaking of matric results. File photo.
Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube says the department suspects cybercrime was involved in the possible leaking of matric results. File photo.
Image: GCIS

Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube assured South Africans that a possible leak of the 2024 matric results would not affect the integrity of the outcomes.

She said it was reported the results were being offered for R99.90 before their official release on Tuesday. 

 Gwarube held a press conference on Monday with deputy minister Dr Reginah Mhaule before they hosted pupils and parents at a congratulatory breakfast session. 

TimesLIVE Premium reported Edumarks claims to be the only distributor of “legitimate” National Senior Certificate results for R99.90 including subjects and percentages.

Results are delivered via e-mail with a 100% money-back guarantee if they cannot be retrieved.

There are concerns about how the company acquired the information, possible violation of pupils' rights and the accuracy of the results. Some people have reported paying the R100 but not being able to access the results.

Gwarube said questions have been asked but the department is limited in the answers it can provide at this stage because of the nature of investigations.

“It became clear to us about 48 hours ago that there is a potential breach in our information. I need to clarify there are multiple steps in putting out matric results.”

She said the breach seems to have happened at the tail end, which pertains to the verified results that had been finalised. 

“The reason I made that distinction is so it can be clear to everybody that we are talking about the results themselves that may have been leaked. I am not able to say definitively if results have been leaked because we have enlisted the services of the Hawks and state security.”

She said she was grateful law enforcement agencies were able to step in quickly for a speedy investigation. 

“This is extremely serious because if there has been a breach in our system there are two processes we need to follow,” she said. 

Gwarube said the department needed to determine if its systems were properly secured. She said when they compile the results, they share them with stakeholders to get ready with their processes.

“There is a very real possibility there might have been a breach in that process. If the breach came from the department's side we are going under the leadership of the director-general to launch an investigation because it is absolutely critical the process is airtight as possible,” she said. 

She said if the breach is found to have come from the department, consequence management will follow.

“State security and the Hawks are involved because we suspect cybercrime.

She said the reason they kept mum about the matter was because the Hawks indicated their investigations were at an advanced stage and it was sensitive time to divulge information.

“I am aware we owe you an explanation about a platform that has been selling what they call authentic matric results to pupils.

“They have been preying on innocent pupils and siphoning money. We take this very seriously.”

She stressed a possible breach would not affect the integrity of the results. 

TimesLIVE


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