Cape Town – A video posted on Facebook by a pupil from Mdingi High School has recently surfaced, showing two students being brutally attacked by a large group of their peers.
The assault left both learners lying helpless on the ground.
According to The Citizen, the video has prompted an investigation by the KwaZulu-Natal education department. Officials have been directed to engage with the school, parents, and students to understand the root causes of the violence.
“We strongly condemn the disturbing acts of violence captured in the video taken at Mdingi High School in Donnybrook, where pupils are seen engaging in a brutal physical altercation,” the report quoted KZN MEC for Education, Sipho Hlomuka, as saying.
“Schools are meant to be safe spaces where pupils receive education, guidance, and support. The violent behavior seen in this video is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
The footage shows more than a dozen students surrounding a learner on the ground, repeatedly kicking and stomping on him. A few metres away, another student is seen being beaten with a stick while lying on the ground.
A teacher eventually intervenes, dispersing most of the attackers and bringing the violence to an end.
The video sparked widespread condemnation on social media. Many called for harsh action against those involved, including Facebook user Mhlaba Memela, who demanded their expulsion.
“Is this Mdingi High School? My high school in Donnybrook? This cannot be tolerated. The children involved in such violence need to be expelled. There is nothing to negotiate about such behavior. The school must have rules, and parents should support them. School is for learning,” Memela wrote.
The education department has urged parents to take an active role in guiding their children’s behaviour both in and out of school.
Officials also called on pupils to resolve conflicts through dialogue rather than violence.
Since 2022, the department has been pushing for schools to formalise school safety committees to address such issues.
A report by the KZN education department highlighted that school violence is largely influenced by children’s exposure to violence in their homes and communities.
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Picture: Facebook/Syethemba Orange Ndlovu
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Compiled by Anda Tolibadi
