Two people who leaked a 2020 matric mathematics exam paper have been ordered to pay a fine of R50,000 each and three years imprisonment, suspended for five years.
At the time of the leak, one of them — Themba Daniel Shikwambana, 36 — worked at a company in Braamfontein that printed matric exam papers.
On Wednesday, Shikwambana and Thobile Sweetbetter Duze, 48, appeared at the Johannesburg magistrate’s court where they pleaded guilty to theft and were sentenced.
Basic education department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “We would have preferred a harsher penalty owing to the sensitive nature of the examinations. However, we appreciate the work done by the Hawks and hope this matter will serve as an example that we take the security of examination question papers seriously.”
The court further sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension.
— Lt-Col Christopher Singo
Mhlanga said security measures to ensure exam papers are not leaked had been “tightened” across the system, but would not disclose details.
Shikwambana and Duze threw the exams into disarray in 2020 when the second mathematics paper surfaced on WhatsApp just hours before pupils were due to write the exam on November 16.
Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Christopher Singo said the department was alerted after a photograph of the leaked paper was widely circulated on WhatsApp. He said the image was verified and confirmed to be a true copy of the official exam.
“A preliminary investigation found that some learners in Gauteng and Limpopo had received the leaked paper in advance.”
Singo said investigations led them to the printing company, where several employees were interviewed.
Shikwambana was arrested in Orange Farm, Gauteng, and Duze was arrested in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal.
The court ordered them to each pay a fine of R100,000 or face 12 months’ imprisonment. However, R50,000 or six months of the sentence was suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of a similar offence during that time.
They were ordered to pay R50,000 in monthly instalments of R5,000 before April 2026.
“The court further sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not convicted of the same offence during the period of suspension,” Singo said.
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