South African authorities have suspended eight pupils linked to a case of alleged bullying that has caused national outrage.
A video showing a horrific assault at Milnerton High School in Cape Town last week has been widely shared on social media.
Several boys are seen repeatedly hitting a fellow pupil with various objects, including a hockey stick, hose pipe, and belt. According to reports, the boy was one of nine allegedly assaulted.
Bullying in schools is a significant problem in South Africa, with videos depicting violent attacks often going viral. This latest clip is among the most horrific to emerge in recent years.
Organizations and political parties have condemned the incident while the police have confirmed that an assault case has been opened.
Among those to speak out was Amnesty International South Africa, which said the video was deeply disturbing and called for timely disciplinary action. No child should ever endure such brutality in a space where [pupils] should be safe and protected from harm,” the international human rights organization said in a post on X.
South Africa’s education ministry confirmed that it had been in contact with the Western Cape education department, which oversees the school, regarding the incident. The suspended pupils will face disciplinary action.
Both bodies have urged the public not to share the video of the assault or details of those involved, noting that this not only exacerbates the trauma experienced by the victim but also undermines the rights and dignity of all the [pupils] involved.
A South African online publication, News24, spoke to the mother of the boy in the video, who revealed that her son is a cancer survivor. The 16-year-old's mother shared her distress in saying, My child had just beaten cancer [only] for something like this to happen to him.
