The Department of Basic Education has welcomed a Gauteng High Court judgment confirming that it is legally authorised to publish the matric results in newspapers.
The department hailed the ruling as consistent with long-standing national practice, saying it provides clarity for parents and learners following concerns over the publication of personal information.
“The Department welcomes this clarity, which reinforces a results-access system that has, for decades, provided candidates, families, and post-school institutions with equitable and reliable means of obtaining examination outcomes,” the department said in a statement.
The Information Regulator had filed an application seeking to prevent the publication of the 2025 matric results, citing concerns about the disclosure of personal information.
NO VIOLATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
As previously reported by The South African, the High Court ruled in favour of the department, dismissing the application and finding that the publication of results using learners’ examination numbers does not amount to the processing of personally identifiable information.
The court held that this practice therefore does not infringe learners’ right to privacy under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
Judge Mark Morgan described the regulator’s arguments as “fanciful”, saying students were unlikely to access personal information through the publication of examination numbers.
The regulator had warned that media houses could face fines of up to R5 million for publishing matric results on 12 January, a move supported by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). The DBE opposed the application, with lobby group AfriForum joining the case as an interested party.
AfriForum said the dispute dates back to 2022 and that it had received numerous requests from learners to challenge calls to prevent the publication of matric results in the media.
Welcoming the ruling, AfriForum head of cultural affairs Alana Bailey said: “This year’s matriculants, as well as future ones, will now still have access to their results and AfriForum is grateful that we were able to protect their rights in this regard.”
