Bullying in the schooling environment has existed in many forms for years, ranging from name-calling and physical fights to isolating someone from a friend group or simply spreading rumours about another pupil. Regardless of the type of bullying, the act can have a lasting psychological impact on the victim.
Last week, video clips were shared widely on social media of a bullying incident involving pupils from a Mdantsane school.
The footage shows a group of boys targeting a lone schoolgirl, slapping her while she tries to cover her face from the blows.
It starts on the bus, within earshot and sight of the transport driver, and continues when the girl gets off.
At no point do any of the videos show the driver intervening, leaving the schoolgirl to fend for herself.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and prompted immediate action from Eastern Cape authorities.
Eagerness to drive change should not only happen in the heat of the moment when everyone is outraged by the incident. This momentum must be sustained
It is more than just another case of schoolyard bullying; it underscores the culture of violence deeply embedded in our communities.
It is this violence that has made SA an unsafe environment for women and children, with the National Council on GBVF Act of 2024 promulgated in response to this epidemic.
The Eastern Cape education department announced on Monday that the boys involved in the incident had been suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.
Social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta, who visited the victim’s family at the weekend, promised counselling support and the rollout of a broader anti-bullying campaign at schools in the province.
These initiatives are commendable but should not only be limited to schools. The involvement of parents and the broader community is critical if we are to root out bullying.
It cannot be that in 2025, a young girl is publicly assaulted by a group of boys, some with phones recording the incident, and no-one intervenes.
The driver, it later emerged, had said he felt powerless to step in.
However, the only one who had no power in this scenario was the 18-year-old victim, who was outnumbered.
The response to the incident, which included a planned march and support from local organisations, demonstrates a willingness to tackle the scourge of bullying.
However, this eagerness to drive change should not only happen in the heat of the moment when everyone is outraged by the incident. This momentum must be sustained beyond the immediate aftermath.
We need long-term solutions with a commitment from everyone concerned — from the education department and schools, to parents, community leaders and pupils themselves — to create a schooling environment where bullying will not be tolerated.
Daily Dispatch
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