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Matric exam marker dies after contracting coronavirus, six others test positive in Northern Cape

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A Johannesburg matric exam marker has died after contracting COVID-19. Her colleagues are under isolation.

The teacher, who had been based at the Jeppe Boys Marking Centre in Johannesburg, had been found unconscious at her residence on Tuesday.

She tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital where she died on Thursday.

“The markers who were in contact with the now late marker were requested to conduct testing and were released from the marking venue while awaiting results. The centre was immediately defogged and sanitized for the purpose of continuation of the marking process which is scheduled to end on the 22nd of January,” says Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona.

The Gauteng Department recruited more markers to avoid issues linked to teachers falling sick due to coronavirus: 

Delays in marking

Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Education Department says it has experienced a two-day delay in the finalisation of the marking of matric exam scripts. This is after six exam markers tested positive for the coronavirus in Kimberley.

Department Spokesperson, Geoffrey van der Merwe, says marking will now be completed on Monday next week instead of at the weekend.

“We have released the six markers and they went home. We’ve done contact-tracing and testing, a total of 91 markers were tested and out of the 91, six tested positive. All our facilities, including the marking centres and the accommodation where the markers are currently residing, adhere to the strict protocol in terms of COVID-19 and we’ve also managed to link all these facilities with a health centre.”

Some markers withdrew just before the process started: 

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