The group copying in the 2014 matric exams needs to be stamped out, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Monday.
Announcing the 2014 matric pass rate in Johannesburg, Motshekga referred to the "strange phenomenon of group copying".
Monitoring body Umalusi said it happened in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
"Results of 39 centres in KwaZulu-Natal and 19 centres in the Eastern Cape were subjected to an investigative audit by both the DBE [basic education department] and Umalusi," the minister said.
"Eleven centres in KwaZulu-Natal and three centres in Eastern Cape have been cleared of any irregular activity.
"The remaining 28 centres in KwaZulu-Natal and 16 centres in the Eastern Cape will be further investigated and this will be finalised by end of January 2015."
On Monday, Motshekga announced the 2014 national matric pass rate was 75.8 percent, a 2.4 percentage point drop from last year.
The worst performing province was the Eastern Cape, with a pass rate of 65.4 percent, a 0.5 percentage point improvement on last year.
The second worst performer was KwaZulu-Natal, with a pass rate of 69.7 percent, a decline of 7.7 percentage points from last year's 77.4 percent. This was the steepest decline among the provinces.
Limpopo achieved a pass rate of 72.9 percent, an increase from last year's 71.8 percent.
The Northern Cape achieved a 76.4 percent pass, from 74.5 in 2013.
Mpumalanga got 79 percent, from 77.6 percent last year.
The Western Cape got an 82.2 percent pass rate, from 85.1 percent in 2013.
The Free State had an 82.8 percent pass rate, from 87.4 percent in 2013, the country's the second highest decline.
The North West achieved the second-highest pass rate, with 84.6 percent, down from 87.2 percent in 2013.
Gauteng was the top performing province, with a pass rate of 84.7 percent, down from 87 percent in 2013.
On Sunday, Umalusi spokesman Lucky Ditaunyane said reports had emerged of cheating in six centres in Gauteng, two in Mpumalanga, and one each in the Western Cape, North West and Northern Cape.
GET YOUR MATRIC RESULTS HERE:
Group copying 'strange phenomenon': Motshekga
The group copying in the 2014 matric exams needs to be stamped out, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Monday.
Announcing the 2014 matric pass rate in Johannesburg, Motshekga referred to the "strange phenomenon of group copying".
Monitoring body Umalusi said it happened in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
"Results of 39 centres in KwaZulu-Natal and 19 centres in the Eastern Cape were subjected to an investigative audit by both the DBE [basic education department] and Umalusi," the minister said.
"Eleven centres in KwaZulu-Natal and three centres in Eastern Cape have been cleared of any irregular activity.
"The remaining 28 centres in KwaZulu-Natal and 16 centres in the Eastern Cape will be further investigated and this will be finalised by end of January 2015."
On Monday, Motshekga announced the 2014 national matric pass rate was 75.8 percent, a 2.4 percentage point drop from last year.
The worst performing province was the Eastern Cape, with a pass rate of 65.4 percent, a 0.5 percentage point improvement on last year.
The second worst performer was KwaZulu-Natal, with a pass rate of 69.7 percent, a decline of 7.7 percentage points from last year's 77.4 percent. This was the steepest decline among the provinces.
Limpopo achieved a pass rate of 72.9 percent, an increase from last year's 71.8 percent.
The Northern Cape achieved a 76.4 percent pass, from 74.5 in 2013.
Mpumalanga got 79 percent, from 77.6 percent last year.
The Western Cape got an 82.2 percent pass rate, from 85.1 percent in 2013.
The Free State had an 82.8 percent pass rate, from 87.4 percent in 2013, the country's the second highest decline.
The North West achieved the second-highest pass rate, with 84.6 percent, down from 87.2 percent in 2013.
Gauteng was the top performing province, with a pass rate of 84.7 percent, down from 87 percent in 2013.
On Sunday, Umalusi spokesman Lucky Ditaunyane said reports had emerged of cheating in six centres in Gauteng, two in Mpumalanga, and one each in the Western Cape, North West and Northern Cape.
GET YOUR MATRIC RESULTS HERE: