Eighteen of the over 450 schools who received subsidies to appoint security guards during the Autumn school holiday were hit by vandals over that period, the Western Cape Education Department said.
Some of the challenges facing Bhekisisa High School in Inanda include a shortage of teachers, a lack of electricity, broken windows and desks, and a lack of ablution facilities.
In a video widely shared on social media, the 15-year-old grade 11 boy can be seen pinned on a bed by another pupil, who then spits on his face. The incident happened on a school trip to the US.