Matric exams pause for election week, resume on 6 November

Matric candidates will get a pause in their exams next week, because the schedule has been reworked around the Local Government Elections, SAnews reported.

New dates for writing

Voting takes place on Wednesday, 4 November, in the middle of the October/November exam session. No papers will be written from 3 to 5 November, and exams pick up again on Friday, 6 November. Monday, 9 November has also been set aside as a day without exams.

The National Senior Certificate exams began across the country on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.

Why the timetable was changed

The adjustment is meant to limit disruption to the exams from election activity, such as political gatherings and community protests.

Umalusi chief executive Mafu Rakometsi explained the decision at a briefing on 8 October. He said the timetable had to be amended because of the elections, just as it was in 2021. According to Rakometsi, Umalusi sees political activity and protests as things that can upset the running of exams, and the council would cooperate with the exam bodies, provincial education departments and other role players to keep election activities from getting in the way.

He also pointed to the role communities play. Some schools that will serve as voting stations also hold extra lessons over weekends and holidays to prepare candidates for their papers. Rakometsi urged political and community leaders, principals, teachers and parents to keep disruption to a minimum, particularly near schools that are exam centres.

Umalusi asked everyone to give candidates the support they need at this stage of their schooling, and to do all they can so that "no candidate is unduly disadvantaged".

What this means for candidates and families

• No matric exams will be written from 3 to 5 November.
• Exams resume on Friday, 6 November.
• Monday, 9 November is also a non-exam day.
• Candidates should check their personal exam timetable, or ask their school, to confirm which papers come after the break.

Parents and community members living near schools that are exam centres or voting stations can help by keeping noise and activity away from candidates, as Umalusi has requested.

This story is based on reporting by SAnews.