Once again, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has struck off from the roll the urgent application by the Information Regulator to interdict the Department of Basic Education from publishing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination results for 2024. The court judgment today has given the Department of Basic Education the green light to publish the results due to be released next week.

NOT AN URGENT MATTER

The judge presiding over the matter, Judge Ronel Tolmay found that the matter was not urgent because the Information Regulator is only pursuing the matter now when the same court approved of the continuation of the tradition of the publishing of matric results three years ago. "The invocation of the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act on its own does not warrant urgency. The regulator sought to have the court compel the department to abide by its enforcement notice that ordered it to seek alternative ways that were compliant with the POPI Act of communicating the results to the learners," he said. He added, "It must be stressed that no persuasive reasons were provided for the delay in bringing the application. The implementation and the application of the POPI Act in relation to the publication of matric results have been contentious from at least the beginning of 2022," Judge Tolmay said while handing down his judgment.

ALL SYSTEMS GO

The Department of Basic Education has since issued a statement saying they will release the National Senior Certificate Examination Results for the Class of 2024 in a ceremony to be held at the Mosaiek Church in Fairland, Johannesburg. "The event will take place on Monday, 13 January 2025. On the same day, Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Deputy Minister Dr. Reginah Mhaule will also host the learners and parents for a congratulatory breakfast session."