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The IFP in the KZN Legislature, as the Official Opposition, is concerned about the reports of cheating during the matric exams. According to Umalusi, a total of 945 candidates have been found involved in group copying, of this number, a shocking 763 cases (80.7%) were detected in KwaZulu-Natal.

It is disheartening and embarrassing to learn of these statistics after these examinations were written last year. The IFP therefore believes that the buck stops with KZN MEC for Education, Mbali Frazer. 

The MEC must be held accountable. We demand to know how learners managed to cheat during the matric exams in October 2023 when we were led to believe by the MEC that they are "combat ready" for the 2023 Matric Exams. 

MEC Frazer misled the people of KZN by saying that her Department of Education had plans in place to prevent exam paper leaks and cheating. The MEC even went as far as making use of private security to protect papers and monitor the exams. 

We demand answers from the MEC. Where were these security guards? How were the exam papers compromised?

The IFP is of the view that educators will only resort to such devious behaviour if they have not been doing their jobs during the year. 

The Department of Education must investigate which educators were in those exam rooms and which monitors were deployed to those exam centres and a full-scale investigation must take place. 

There should never be a space for cheating during our national senior certificate examinations, and “cheaters” must be dealt with appropriately, who bring education in our country into disrepute and demoralise our children.

We have not been told what the outcome of the investigations into the mass copying that has occurred in previous years, nor have we been told what action was taken against those who were responsible for administering the exams at those centres.

The IFP believes that any student, educator or official implicated in irregularities – such as group copying, and unauthorised access to question papers – must face the full consequences of dishonesty. 

We call for increased vigilance during the 2024 examinations, so that any actions that compromise the integrity of the NSC results are stamped out. 

Issued by IFP Chief Whip in the KZN Legislature and IFP Spokesperson for Education in KwaZulu-Natal Thembeni Kamadhlopha-Mthethw