KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka has condemned a violent incident caught on video at Mdingi High School in Donnybrook, in the Harry Gwala District Municipality. Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives
Image: Independent Newspapers Archives
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka says the department is working to address violence at schools and bullying.
He was speaking after a video of a violent brawl at Mdingi High School in Donnybrook, in the Harry Gwala District Municipality, has been circulating on social media. In the video a learner in uniform can be seen on the ground while other learners, also in uniform, hit him.
Speaking in a media briefing on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Sipho Hlomuka, strongly condemned the incident, emphasising that such behaviour has no place in schools.
“Schools are meant to be safe spaces where learners receive education, guidance, and support. The violent behaviour seen in this video is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” he said.
The Department of Education has launched an urgent investigation into the matter and pledged to take disciplinary action against those involved.
Asked about the issue of bullying, Hlomuka said that bullying in schools is a widespread issue requiring a multi-departmental approach, involving not only education authorities but also the social development department and law enforcement.
He said the provincial government had been running various intervention programmes to combat bullying. However, he emphasised that the issue extends beyond school premises and is often rooted in broader societal challenges.
“There are a number of factors that contribute to bullying. We are working with the Department of Social Development, the Department of Justice, and law enforcement because some of the issues that lead to bullying originate outside the school environment,” said Hlomuka.
He also stressed the need for parental involvement in shaping learners’ behaviour and announced that psychosocial support would be provided to affected students.
His remarks come as concerns grow over violent incidents in schools. Another recent case was at Centenary Secondary School, where an ongoing investigation is still gathering information.
“We are aware of that [Centenary High School case], and we have started the investigation process, but it is not yet finalised,” Hlomuka said. “It’s important to not only deal with what happened but also to understand the contributing factors so that we can address the root causes and prevent similar incidents in other schools.”
Head of Department (HOD) Nkosinathi Ngcobo also highlighted the increasing prevalence of cyberbullying, where learners record and share videos of bullying incidents
“We ran many programmes throughout the province where we sent our psychologists, together with the Department of Social Development, on campaigns to advocate against all forms of bullying,” Ngcobo stated.
He pointed out that social media has exacerbated the problem. “When learners fight or one learner bullies another, instead of intervening, others often record videos and post them on social media. We have campaigns against that kind of thing,” he added.
While the department is implementing anti-bullying programmes, both officials acknowledged that deeper community involvement is needed to tackle the root causes of the problem.