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Sutherland High School in Centurion will hold a disciplinary hearing regarding an alleged bullying incident involving two Grade 10 students after videos made by the alleged victim’s mother went viral.
A mother of a Grade 10 girl at the school posted videos on TikTok claiming that her daughter was being sworn at, isolated and harassed by a Grade 10 boy.
In one of the videos, the mother said she went to the school and spoke to a teacher who told her the school would investigate the matter.
“So, she’s basically telling me that if this child denies everything, then nothing is going to happen with the complaint. I didn’t like that. It’s quite concerning,” the mother said.
She further claims that her daughter had allegedly been bullied for years to the point where she can’t eat her lunch at school, she can’t go to the toilet alone, and she is isolated in class.
“I’m heartbroken that she took all this time to tell me,” the mother said.
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The mother also posted a video explaining some of the incidents her daughter told her about, which brought the mother to tears.
In a third video, the mother stated that the mother of her daughter’s alleged bully called her late at night, threatening legal action against her.
In the video, the mother questioned where the other parent got her number. She pleaded for assistance in getting legal advice.
“They are defending their son and making sure that he gets away scot-free from this case, and it makes sense why the school is so hesitant to take action towards this child,” the mother said.
“It makes sense why this child is like this, and it ends here.”
After the videos went viral, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane expressed his concern about the alleged bullying incident and said the department has a zero-tolerance stance.
“Bullying has no place in our schools. We strongly discourage any form of bullying within our learning environments and urge all learners to report such incidents to school management so that necessary action can be taken promptly. Schools must be safe spaces where learners feel protected and supported at all times,” said MEC Chiloane.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) confirmed that the girl’s mother visited the school on Wednesday to report the bullying her child faced.
As the mother said in the videos, the school explained that, as per due process, a preliminary investigation must be conducted to verify the allegations before any disciplinary action.
GDE said school management, district officials, and the victim’s parents held a meeting at the school on Thursday.
“Following this meeting, we can confirm that the school will initiate a disciplinary hearing, subject to the availability of both parents to participate in the process,” the department spokesperson Steve Mabona said.
The GDE has deployed its Psycho-Social Support Unit to offer support to both learners and their parents in an effort to help them manage the incident’s emotional and psychological impact.
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The department has also launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the handling of this complaint by the teacher.
“Furthermore, the school will provide curriculum support to the affected learner following the incident,” Mabona added.
“The department will monitor the matter closely and ensure that all necessary support measures are followed thoroughly to address this matter effectively.”
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