When Samkelo Mbele applied in 2017 to rewrite his matric which he had failed in 2006, he wanted to improve his prospects and be able to apply for decent jobs.
But most importantly, he wanted to further his studies and be able to provide a better life for his wife and children.
The 35-year-old father of two said he was over the moon with joy when he discovered that he had passed the subjects that he rewrote. Therefore, he said in October he requested the department to issue him with a combination of results so that he could be able to obtain his matric certificate.
However, he said his joy and excitement of passing his matric quickly turned sour.
Mr Mbele said he has made endless efforts to obtain his matric certificate from the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) with no success. Instead he said he had been sent from pillar to post.
The unemployed Khayelitsha resident said he was informed that he would get his certificate after 10 weeks.
He said he then visited the department at the beginning of December to enquire about his certificate. But he claims that he was informed that the person which signs off certificates was on leave.
But he adds that he again visited the department in January and got the same response from the very same person.
He noted that he had attended several job interviews and all of the prospective employers had stated that they were looking for someone who has a matric certificate.
A visibly frustrated Mr Mbele said this has made his life difficult and he has no idea what to do.
“I cannot get decent jobs because of this. I’m the breadwinner at home and everyone is looking at me and I’m battling to do that.
“The government has failed me. Whenever I think about this, I just get an endless headache.
“I can’t look after my family. I had plans that this year I want to further my studies but that has been derailed. I have done everything that I can to get my certificate but my efforts proved to be fruitless,” he said.
Mr Mbele said he even called the head office of the Department of Basic Education in Pretoria to state his case because he felt that the WCED had failed him dismally.
He said after several engagements with the officials in Pretoria he managed to get a letter confirming that he had passed his subjects, meaning that he had passed his matric.
“But he said they informed him that there was a problem with the system and it had affected the combination of results.
Jessica Shelver, spokesperson for the MEC of Education, Debbie Schäfer, said a new national system was implemented in August this year.
However, there has been systems issues with the programme which they have logged with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA ).
She explained that the system was struggling to manage requests for the combination of learner results. “We have requested SITA to rectify this. We are aware of Mr Mbele’s case. He wrote Biology and Life sciences in 2013 and 2016.
“The system is drawing the 2016 result rather than the 2013 result which is needed in order to make the pass requirements
“This has to be in place in order to allow the system to condone another subject – History (also written in 2013) in order for him to achieve a pass on the senior certificate.
“The new computerised system has been effective in compiling straightforward combinations, however combinations, involving these types of technical and policy issues are presenting problems.
“The WCED has communicated this to SITA and has requested that the programme be corrected or enhanced so that it will enable us to apply the policy correctly.
We await the correction of the system and will continue to engage with Mr Mbele on his case,” she said.