An urgent application by the Information Regulator (IR) to obtain an interdict against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) publicly releasing the 2024 matric results will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday.

The IR is trying to prevent the DBE from releasing the matric results in the public media, arguing that this will be a violation of matriculants’ right to privacy.

AfriForum, along with other parties, including Maroela Media, was added as interested parties to the case by the IR.

“The case where the merits of the withholding or publication of the results will be decided will follow later in the year, but at present the urgent application is necessary in order to clarify whether the results may be published in newspapers and on other public platforms next week, or not,” said AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs Alana Bailey.

She pointed out that AfriForum and other parties succeeded in a case on the same issue in 2022, when the court ruled that the use of examination numbers in the media, instead of the matriculants’ names, provides sufficient protection for their privacy.

An order was then issued that the results had to be published, she added. 

“This order is still valid, and the DBE therefore argues that it has no other choice but to oppose the IR’s instruction to withhold publication of the results,” Bailey highlighted.