Eight learners from Milnerton High School have been suspended in connection with a violent assault on a fellow pupil, an incident captured on video that has sparked national outrage.
The disturbing footage, which has been widely circulated on social media, shows a boy being attacked by a group of other learners. The assailants can be seen using objects, including hockey sticks, to beat the victim.
The family of the assaulted boy has come forward anonymously, demanding severe punishment for all those involved. In an emotional account, the victim’s sister revealed that the family only became aware of the full extent of the abuse after seeing the viral video.
“As we found out as a family now that after seeing him with the beatings because he didn’t want to be open about it. But after we’ve seen that’s how we’ve discovered that he was being beaten the whole time throughout the year,” she stated.
She further alleged that the violence was not an isolated incident, claiming, “This was not only him, but all the other kids that got these beatings from these older boys in the school.”
The family is calling for criminal charges to be brought against the perpetrators, drawing a sharp distinction between bullying and a more serious crime. “This is not only bullying. This is assault as well. This deserves jail time as well,” the sister said. “It’s a case that actually needs to be… they need to be held accountable because we can’t let this sweep under the rug because this is assault not bullying.”
School authorities have taken disciplinary action, confirming the suspension of eight pupils linked to the alleged assault. The incident has ignited a broader conversation about violence and bullying within South African schools, with the video prompting widespread public condemnation.
