âââ 15:00 Fri, 28 May 2021
Violence and the abuse of drugs and alcohol are major contributors to bullying in schools, which was the focus of Members of Parliament (MPs) who debated the actions needed to put an end to it.
Opposition parties have criticised the Basic Education Department for inadequate policies to stop bullying.
The department says it ll be launching a nationwide, annual anti-violence drive, in response to rising cases.
At the forefront of discussions, was a bullying incident in Limpopo. It led to Grade 10 pupil, Lufuno Mavhunga, taking her own life.
MPs agree South Africa s generally violent society, is spilling over into schools.
MPs say fatal shooting of man during Wits protest could have been avoided The turbulence, instability and unrest at institutions of higher learning at the beginning of each year is unsustainable, ANC MP Nompendulo Mkhatshwa said 10 March 2021 - 15:55 Image: Peter Mogaki/The Sowetan
The shooting of a bystander during a student protest in Braamfontein on Wednesday was “unnecessary”, deputy higher education minister Buti Manamela said.
The incident formed part of parliament s higher education portfolio committee meeting on Wednesday, with MPs lamenting what had happened.
“We have received the news [of the shooting]. We are trying to find more information so that we extend our condolences to the family. This is quite unfortunate, and obviously unnecessary. We do not encourage or condone situations wherein during protest there is loss of life,” Manamela said.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling on the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura to initiate an urgent investigation into the more than R431 million spent by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) in three months on decontaminating of schools for Covid-19. The DA has learnt with shock that the Gauteng Department of Education has spent R431 274 959 on sanitising schools.