The Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, Umalusi, has determined that a breach involving leaked National Senior Certificate examination papers in late 2025 was confined to a limited group of candidates. According to The Citizen, Umalusi CEO Dr Mafu Rakometsi announced on 9 January 2026 that the incident involved approximately 40 learners across seven examination centres in the Pretoria area.
The investigation, conducted by a National Investigation Task Team established shortly after the breach was detected, concluded that the leak was restricted to three key subjects: Mathematics (Papers 1 and 2), Physical Sciences (Papers 1 and 2), and English Home Language (Papers 1 to 3), totalling seven papers. This localised nature stands in stark contrast to the scale of the examinations, where nearly 600,000 candidates sat for these subjects nationwide, with enrolments including 254,413 in Mathematics, 204,957 in Physical Sciences, and 135,090 in English Home Language.
The breach came to light through investigative marking, where examiners noticed suspiciously similar responses to a novel question in English Home Language Paper 2, prompting swift action by the Department of Basic Education. Initial reports in December 2025 indicated involvement of around 26 learners, but ongoing probes increased the figure to about 40, as further details emerged from interviews and forensic analysis.
In response, Umalusi has approved the release of the 2025 NSC results across all assessment bodies, including the Department of Basic Education, the Independent Examinations Board, and the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute. However, the results of the implicated candidates will be withheld pending further proceedings. Dr Rakometsi emphasised that while the current count stands at around 40, any additional learners discovered to have benefited from the leak in future will face appropriate consequences.
This development reassures stakeholders that the integrity of the broader examination process remains intact. The small proportion of affected candidates—out of hundreds of thousands—means the incident does not undermine the overall validity of the results, which are scheduled for official announcement by the Minister of Basic Education on 12 January 2026, with individual access available from 13 January.
Umalusi’s findings highlight ongoing challenges in examination security amid high-stakes assessments that serve as a gateway to higher education and employment for South African youth. The body has expressed serious concern over persistent irregularities, urging continued vigilance to protect the credibility of the NSC qualification, which remains a cornerstone of the country’s education system.