Page 1 - 17 January 2025

Umalusi is satisfied with the
action taken to withdraw the
registration status of the
school concerned,” it said.
The group also flagged
s o m e e x a m i n a t i o n
malpractices:
407 NSC cases of copying
were reported in 2024.
While this was down from
over 900 in 2023, KwaZulu-
By Zandile Khumalo Grade 8 in 2020 at the height The national education • 138,000 wrote the NC(V) While signing off on the Natal and Mpumalanga are
of the COVID-19 pandemic. quality assurance body, L2-L4 examinations, matric results for 2024, once again at the top of the
The Matric class of 2024
has made history During this time, there was a Umalusi, has approved the • 49,421 wrote the N2-N3 Umalusi did note several list with 195 and 74
huge disruption to teaching release of the 2024. The examinations, and w o r r y i n g t r e n d s a n d implicated candidates,
This comes as South Africa’s results are due to be released practices that emerged respectively.
national pass rate for the and learning globally. today (14 January 2025) • 40,438 wrote the GETC: during the latest round of
2024 NSC results increased This condition would also go ABET examinations. testing. There has also been an
from 82.9% in 2023 to on to the next year as they During a media briefing on The body said that, having increase in applications for
87.3%. progressed to Grade 9. Monday (13 January), the studied all the evidence This includes things like the marking concessions.
Noting the odds this cohort association’s chairperson, “persistent phenomenon” of Umalusi received marking
Department of Basic Yunus Ballim, said that the presented, the Executive some schools disallowing concessions in 19 subjects
Education Minister Siviwe had to beat, Gwarube said results had been given the Committee of Umalusi candidates from writing the compared to 17 in 2023.
Gwarube says this is the they were resilient. green light after being Council concluded that the exams in an attempt to
highest matric pass rate in R e f l e c t i n g o n t h e a d m i n i s t e r e d b y t h e e x a m i n a t i o n s w e r e improve results. A marking concession is an
the history of the country. performances of the Department of Basic administered largely in i n s t a n c e w h e r e a n
provinces, the Free State accordance with the “This is unlawful, and assessment body makes a
Gwarube released the results E d u c a t i o n a n d t h e Umalusi advises the affected
on Monday evening at the clings to the top spot with a Independent Examinations Regulations Pertaining to the learners and parents or request to Umalusi to have
Mosaiek Church in Fairland, 91.0% pass rate Board. Conduct, Administration, guardians to report such certain questions found to
Johannesburg. In second place is KwaZulu and Management of the incidents to the relevant be ‘problematic’ during the
Natal with a pass rate of A total of 1,060,852 National Senior Certificate marking process to be
Hailing this significant 89.5%, marking an increase candidates participated in Examinations. authorities,” it said. excluded either entirely or
achievement, the minister of 3.2% from 2023 and the 2024 end of year There were also issues with partly and upscaling the total
said the results should be a securing the third spot is examinations. Of that “There were no systemic unregistered candidates, marks achieved using
moment of great pride and Gauteng, which increased its number, the NSC accounts irregularities reported that where an independent conversion tables.
celebration for all. for 832,993 candidates or might have compromised s c h o o l a l l o w e d 3 0
pass rate from 85.4% in the overall credibility and “What is problematic about
The class of 2024 entered 2023 to 88.4% in 2024. 78.5% distributed across the integrity of the November candidates who did not pass
DBE, IEB and SACAI. Grade 11 to register for the this practice is that it has the
2024 National Senior likelihood of negatively
The remaining 227,859 or C e r t i f i c a t e ( N S C ) Grade 12 examinations. affecting the overall
21.5% candidates are examinations administered “This is highly irregular. standard of the question
distributed across three by the Department of Basic Whereas this is only one papers concerned,” the
qualifications: Education (DBE),” it said. case, it is one too many. group said.

Heavy rains driven by a rainfall with widespread but Kruger Park roads By Sunday, Ossendryver said
tropical low-pressure system showers over Limpopo and management teams moved that the weather had started
over Botswana last weekend Mpumalanga during the promptly to ensure the safety to taper off and that the river
c a u s e d s i g n i f i c a n t weekend and on Monday, 13 of visitors. levels were dropping slightly,
disruptions and flooding in January 2025 in Kruger Park SANParks said the rain had but that there were still
the Kruger National Park, after an advisory was sent also been heavy in the north reports of closed roads,
leading to the closure of out by the South African with the Luvuvhu River at its bridges and camps.
some camps and gravel Weather Service (SAWS). highest level this season.
roads south of the Olifants Isaac Phahla, Kruger “A few years ago, there was a
River. National Park commu- In terms of damage, Phahla bridge completely destroyed
SANParks activated disaster nications and marketing s a i d , “ T h e L o w e r on the park’s busiest road,
management protocols and manager, said that the rains Sabie/Skukuza road is being the H4-1, and that still hasn’t
teams continue to monitor appeared normal for this temporarily repaired after it been fixed… Now on that
conditions in the wake of time of the year, but other partly collapsed to enable same road, in a different
flooding in the Kruger areas had received more visitors to move between the spot, a new bridge has been
National Park this weekend. than the 10-year average two rest camps; Talamati destroyed – the Alpha
This comes after several rainfall. and Biyamiti bush camps are Bridge,” Ossendryver said.
gravel roads, and some According to Phahla, the closed as a precautionary He said Kruger Park was
camps were closed. Some area most affected by the measure.”
park guests were moved recent flooding was south of W h e n a s k e d a b o u t good at creating detours
from their camps as a the Olifants River. Gravel evacuations and safety when these incidents
precautionary measure. roads and low-lying bridges incidents involving visitors occurred because the road
that was heavily impacted
SANParks said that the were currently being due to the flooding, Phahla was one of the busiest roads
flooding was largely monitored by the SANParks said that guests from the between the busiest camps,
localised to the south of the technical team and others Biyamiti bush camp had so it needed to be available.
Olifants River and that water were closed periodically to been moved as a safety
flow forecasts suggested avoid any disasters. measure. Phahla told Daily Maverick
that the Sabie and Sand In a statement on Monday, He said proper assessments that “currently, SANParks
Rivers would be inundated 13 January, SANParks would be done once the disaster management is
Flooding in the Kruger National Park led to the closure of with heavy flows for some advised that some main w a t e r h a d s u b s i d e d . coping, but will call for
several roads and bridges. (Photo: Latest Sightings / Peter time. roads between Skukuza and However, all gates were assistance when the need
Pienaar) This followed disruptive Lower Sabie were damaged, open. arises.”