More than four years after the chaos caused by a leaked matric maths exam, the culprits behind the breach have finally faced justice.
The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court has handed down sentencing to two individuals who played key roles in the 2020 paper leak that rocked South Africa’s education system.
Financial Penalty or Jail Time
Themba Daniel Shikwambana, 36, and Thobile Sweetbetter Duze, 48, were each slapped with a hefty fine of R100,000—or the option of spending 12 months behind bars.
But there’s a catch: half of that fine (R50,000 or six months in prison) was suspended for five years.
That means if they keep a clean record and don’t get involved in a similar offence, they won’t have to pay or serve that portion of the sentence.
The remaining R50,000 must be paid in monthly instalments of R5,000, with the final payment due by April 2026.
Suspended Jail Sentence Also Handed Down
In addition to the fine, the court imposed a three-year prison sentence—but it’s entirely suspended for five years.
So unless either of them reoffends during that time, they won’t actually serve the jail term.
Leak Traced Back to a Printing Company
The entire scandal began in November 2020 when a photograph of the Mathematics Paper 2 exam started circulating on WhatsApp.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) quickly confirmed that the image was, in fact, a real copy of the exam scheduled to be written by matric students.
It turned out that the leak had reached learners in both Limpopo and Gauteng provinces through WhatsApp groups—just days before the official exam date.
Investigation Launched by the Hawks
The DBE immediately alerted the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit, and a formal investigation was launched.
The spotlight soon turned to Shikwambana, who was working at a Johannesburg printing company responsible for printing the exam papers.
He was arrested on 25 November 2020 in Orange Farm, Gauteng.
After his arrest, the investigation expanded and led to the capture of Duze on 10 June 2021 in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal.
Both suspects appeared in court several times over the years before being found guilty and sentenced this week.
The Bigger Question: How to Prevent Future Leaks?
The case has once again raised concerns about exam paper security in South Africa.
With printing companies, digital communication platforms, and insider access all playing a role, how can the Department of Basic Education tighten its grip to ensure this doesn’t happen again?
