CAPE TOWN, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Matric exam papers were leaked ahead of the tests in South Africa, with two officials from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) suspended, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube reported on Thursday.

Speaking at a media briefing in Cape Town, Gwarube revealed that the breach was found through the system's stringent marking processes.

According to Gwarube, markers in Gauteng Province detected unusual similarities in several English Home Language Paper 2 scripts shortly after marking began on Dec. 1 at 183 centers nationwide. The provincial education department alerted the national department on Dec. 2, triggering a preliminary investigation that confirmed a breach.

Twenty-six learners were later identified and interviewed, who admitted to having gained prior access to exam materials. Investigators traced the leak to the DBE's national office, said the minister.

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination, commonly referred to as the matric exam, has become an annual event of major public significance in South Africa.

This year, over 900,000 candidates sat for the 2025 exams across 7,000 centers, supported by thousands of invigilators and more than 51,000 markers and moderators.

"Our systems are robust," Gwarube said. "They have allowed us to identify that the suspect involved is an employee of the Department of Basic Education who has a child in Grade 12. Evidence suggests that she received the question paper from another DBE employee who works within the examination unit."

The minister said that three subjects -- English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences -- had been accessed before the exams, with the papers distributed via a USB device and so far confined to seven schools in one Pretoria area.

To safeguard the credibility of the examinations, Gwarube announced the establishment of a national investigative task team, which will begin work within 24 hours.

The team will investigate the source and scope of the leak and recommend measures to prevent future breaches. A preliminary report is expected on Dec. 29, with the final report due on Dec. 31. Enditem