EIGHT-GESKOP

AFTER eight laaities were geskors at Milnerton High in a case of apparent bullying, more footage emerged as dinge rukked hand uit at a protest outside the school on Wednesday. 

Police deployed stun grenades as dozens of mense expressed their outrage over a viral video of a Grade 10 learner being assaulted in a school locker-room. 

In the initial video, that sparked outrage around the country on Tuesday, the learner was geslaan with what looks like a pipe, before another laaitie lines up to hit him with a hockey stick.

Despite asking the others to stop, he was whipped again with a belt as the group cheered. 

As a result, eight learners have since been suspended, and police have confirmed that a criminal case has been opened.

Now more disturbing footage of alleged bullying has emerged on social media, seemingly involving the same group of boys.

The new clips show one boy striking another learner, while a second video appears to depict a boy hitting a girl across the face. 

Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that the videos were brought to the department’s attention today and forwarded to the school.

She said: “They have confirmed receipt and it will be included in their ongoing investigation.”

Meanwhile dozens of protesters, including members of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and the EFF, gathered outside Milnerton High School shortly before the end of the school day to show support for the victim and to demand decisive action against bullying.

EFF Provincial Convener Sima Mtheli welcomed the suspension of the learners involved but said the incident pointed to a broader pattern of bullying at the school. 

He said it was not an isolated case but part of an ongoing trend that the school had failed to address, adding that the institution seemed more focused on protecting its reputation than on safeguarding the well-being of its learners..  

Wendy Kaizer-Philander, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Social Development, said the new videos highlight broader social issues.

She added: “We cannot only be vocal when incidents of bullying go viral. Bullying stems from deep-seated social problems such as normalised violence and a lack of adequate psychosocial support. Addressing these foundations is essential to preventing a new generation from inheriting the same patterns of harm.

“Our schools must be places where children are protected and given the opportunity to thrive.”

Meanwhile, the ANC's Leader of the Opposition in the Western Cape Legislature, Khalid Sayed criticised the education department's governance.

He said: "The department is poorly governed. It is the lack of seriousness around governance that's resulting in increased cases of bullying at our schools, that is unattended to. 

“It is that, that's resulting in safe schools in our province not being hands on, on ensuring school safety, that school resource officers are actually at schools doing their work.

"It is a disgrace that safe schools are not reporting incidents to SAPS and finding solutions to safety issues at our school."