think only the performance of each applicant on the testing day is all that counts
...to the western world, that is true. Africa works on very different rules, lol.
The real truth is that the way things are done in SA are just incomparable to how we do things. Mainly, this is because they are done in these ways for reasons of a historical/political nature the likes of which will most likely never be found in the North-Western world.
It's a truly wonderful place in many respects but this approach to recruitment is widespread in all fields in Southern Africa. Cavorting Cheetah hits the nail on the head. Don't be appalled - if you look hard enough there's a funny side