Another bullying victim attempts suicide after viral picture

Just as the country mourns the death of Lufuno Mavhunga, a Mbilwi Secondary School learner who committed suicide following a bullying incident at school, another pupil has landed in hospital from an overdose.

A Sanctor High School pupil was taken to Livingstone Hospital in Gqeberha last week after a picture of her went viral on social media.

The picture, taken on Monday last week, shows the girl posing for a picture in a squatting position. A social media user took the picture from behind and shared it on Facebook with the caption: “Sanctor High’s children shi* in the bush.”

Picture: Facebook

While some social media users ran with the story that the girl was relieving herself, her sister said that was not the case.

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She also said the girl could not take the cyberbullying and overdosed on pills as a result.

“So this is the full story about my sister. She was taking pictures at school and then a stupid boy took a picture behind her saying that she was helping herself.

“I don’t know how but some of you guys made a joke and spoke bad about her. She took  pills cause she could not handle the pain and things that some people said about her,” the sister said on Friday.

“She’s now fighting for her life in hospital because of this. We as her family are in so much pain. But the Lord will be with her in this pain.”

ALSO READ: Mbilwi bullying: Lufuno’s mother found her lying unconscious

She further shared a picture of her sister being treated in hospital.

According to reports, she has since been discharged.

South Africans who commented on the sister’s post reiterated the many calls to end bullying in all its forms.

Chadley McCabe wrote: “Now that girl did overdose over making a meme about her, why don’t people listen and stop doing this cyber bullying. It’s like you’re enjoying seeing others suffer and go into a mental depression. Everyone can’t take it. What if someone does it to you, would you like it? Start consider[ing] other people’s feelings.”

Llana Fourie commented: “Investigate the story and the guy behind all of this posting and lock him up. We all can see it’s just innocent post for pix [sic] and nothing more. Just shows bullying will never stop in schools. Praying for your recovery and for your family.”