The Safer South Africa Foundation (SSAF) has expressed deep concern following the recent violent attack and bullying incident at Milnerton High School, describing it as a tragic symptom of deeper systemic failures in the country’s education and societal structures.
“This incident is not an isolated case. It is a symptom of a broader and more troubling reality – the failure of our education system and society at large,” says retired General Riah Phiyega, CEO of the Safer SA Foundation (SSAF).
“We cannot treat this as a once-off disciplinary matter. It is a wake-up call to address the root causes of violence and anti-social behaviour in our schools. Nothing confirms the need for urgent action more than when police must be called in to intervene in this manner. We must deploy preventative measures to deal decisively with this scourge to instil respect, empathy, and accountability in our young people,” she explains.
She emphasised that bullying is both a safety and developmental concern, with long- term psychological and social consequences for both victims and perpetrators. The SSAF is actively working to address such challenges through its Communities and Justice Programme (CJP) – an experiential learning initiative that educates learners about the law, their rights, responsibilities, and the consequences of criminal behaviour.
The CJP has already had a measurable positive impact in schools across the country, improving learner behaviour, fostering respect for others, and promoting a culture of accountability.
The CJP brings together stakeholders such as the Department of Basic Education, the criminal justice cluster comprising SAPS, Correctional Services, National Prosecuting Authority, metro police and the Traffic Departments. The South African Human Rights Commission also plays a role.
Through the CJP, the SSAF has observed that when young people are engaged, informed, and taken through the criminal justice steps when a crime is committed, their behaviour changes for the better.
Such initiatives could be incorporated and used to strengthen the Life Orientation curriculum to complement and reinforce the anti-bullying protocols already in place at schools. In this way, learners will be consistently taught empathy, conflict resolution, and respect for diversity.
“This is why we call on education authorities, parents, and communities to work together to implement proactive, preventative programmes in all schools,” Phiyega concludes.