School bullying condemned

LIMPOPO: VIDEO OF PUPIL BEING SLAPPED, OTHERS CHEERING SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA Department of education probing this and another school fight video.

Avideo showing a pupil being bullied after being repeatedly slapped in her face yesterday has caused outrage, with social media users calling for action using the hashtag #JusticeForLufuno trending.

According to the Limpopo department of education, the pupil has since died, “however, the cause of death is unknown”.

The department said it is investigating the video, which shows a Grade 10 Mbilwi Secondary School pupil being bullied by another outside the school premises on Monday.

In the video, a petite girl is standing with her back against a wall surrounded by other teenagers when she is backhanded in the face by a much taller teen. Those surrounding her look on as others cheer. In another video, some of the pupils can be seen trying to stop the perpetrator – to no avail.

Limpopo education MEC Polly Boshielo said she had noted with concern the increasing number of reported bullying incidents in schools. She said she was alerted to the video yesterday morning. “It is quite disturbing to witness this level of violent behaviour among young people,” she said.

“We strongly condemn such conduct that has turned our schools into horrendous havens of those who have no regards for their peers. Bullying is wrong and will never be tolerated in our schools.”

One SA Movement leader Mmusi Maimane called on Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to visit the pupil’s family when she visit Limpopo.

“There must be #JusticeForLufuno. This is a parent’s worst nightmare. It’s heartbreaking,” he said.

“I hope that [Motshekga] visits the school and the family while she is on her Limpopo oversight.

No school should entertain bullying in any shape or form.”

The department condemned another physical altercation that was caught on video, involving

Grade 12 pupils from Nthuba High School in the province. The video has been making rounds on social media since Friday.

“Details of this incident have

been requested from the school principal and due disciplinary processes will be undertaken immediately,” said Boshielo.

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