SACAI's condonation policy is applied to help Grade 12 candidates meet the pass requirements for the National Senior Certificate (NSC). The pass requirements are:
- 40% for Home Language
- 40% for any two other subjects
- 30% for any three other subjects
If a candidate is very close to passing a subject, needing a maximum of 2%, SACAI may condone this small difference. However, condonation only applies to a single subject and is only granted if it ensures the candidate obtains their NSC.
For instance, if a candidate has passed two subjects with 40% and three others with 30%, but got 39% for their Home Language, SACAI may condone the 1% difference, allowing the candidate to pass. Similarly, if a learner needs 1–2% to pass a subject at 30%, and this would meet the overall pass requirements, SACAI may condone that specific subject.