Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane has sent a stern warning to perpetrators of bullying and Gender-Based Violence. This comes after a flare-up of bullying incidents in the province.
Mtsweni-Tsipane was addressing a national Anti-Bullying Roadshow campaign, held by the Department of Basic Education in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga.
The nationwide campaign is an intervention that sees learners from different schools and community members engaged on the importance of curbing the further spread of these incidents.
In the video below, Mpumalanga officials intensify fight against bullying in schools:
The Premier emphasised the need for the community to play a role in curbing bullying incidents.
“We will not rest until the issue of bullying, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence within the school environment and in communities are addressed and we want to say to the perpetrators of that violence they must watch the space, we are already on their footsteps, we will take appropriate action.”
In January, a video that went viral on social media shows a 15-year-old female learner being assaulted by a fellow learner while others watched.
It is not the first incident of bullying to be reported at Elukhanyisweni High School in eMalahleni.
Learners say they fear for their lives: “This whole thing began from Facebook, on social media as cyberbullying. We are not safe, I’m not feeling safe. Whatever you comment, people take it as if you talk about them. We hope our principal will take this serious and try to solve it in a way that everyone will learn that this must come to an end.”
