Matric Results to be Published Despite Legal Challenge
Pretoria – The Department of Basic Education has announced its decision to publish the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results, despite ongoing legal challenges from the Information Regulator (IR). The results are scheduled to be made available for publication on Tuesday, January 13th.
This decision comes as the IR applies for leave to appeal a judgement made by a full bench of the Pretoria High Court in December. The court had ruled that matric results may be published on public platforms, as they have been since 2022, using candidates’ examination numbers.
The legal battle began in 2024 when the IR issued an enforcement notice prohibiting the department from publishing the 2024 matric results in newspapers. The IR argued that the department should instead make the results available using methods compliant with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). These methods included pupils obtaining their results from their schools or via a secure SMS platform provided by the department.
The department did not comply with the notice, prompting the regulator to approach the court for enforcement proceedings on an urgent basis early last year. However, Judge Ronel Tolmay struck the IR’s enforcement application off the roll for lack of urgency on January 8, 2025.
The December court ruling followed an appeal by the Minister of Basic Education to have the enforcement notice issued by the regulator in 2024 set aside. The High Court ultimately set aside the IR’s enforcement notice on December 18th.
The regulator maintains that its application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal suspends the execution of the High Court’s orders, pending the outcome of the appeal process.
However, the department stated yesterday that the results will be made available to accredited newspapers in the same format used in recent years. This format includes examination numbers and results only, with no names, surnames, or ID numbers.
“In line with our commitment to the rule of law, the department is legally obliged to publish the results as granted by the court order on January 18, 2022,” the department said in a statement.
The department also confirmed that it would oppose the IR’s application for leave to appeal. “This opposition is pursued in the best interests of learners, their families, and the education sector,” the statement added.
The publication of the 2025 NSC examination results will proceed as planned, despite the ongoing legal dispute between the Department of Basic Education and the Information Regulator. The department insists it is acting within the law and in the best interests of students and their families.
Follow Us on Twitter
