ANC
The African National Congress has called for a thorough investigation and long-lasting solutions into the recent bullying incident at the Milnerton High School.
The African National Congress (ANC) has called for a thorough investigation and long-lasting solutions into the recent bullying incident at the Milnerton High School.
This comes as six of the eight learners accused of bullying a 16-year-old learner appeared at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on charges of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm on Friday.
Following their brief appearance in court, they were subsequently released on bail of R2,000 each, while two underage learners facing the same charges were released from police custody on Thursday with a warning from the court.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila indicated that two of the young boys were too young to appear with the others, which is why they were released on a warning
Reacting to the incident, which has dominated newspaper headlines for the better part of this week, ANC National spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, called for an investigation into the incident.
She further indicated that the ANC does not take kindly to the disruption of academic activities as reported in the media this week.
“The ANC calls for a thorough investigation of this incident of violence against a learner, which happened at Milnerton High School in Cape Town. The ANC also calls upon all stakeholders in education to work together to find sustainable solutions that will assist all schools, education districts, and provincial departments to put in place a simple and effective system that will restore discipline, respect, and law and order in schools,” she said.
Bhengu-Motsiri further stated that the party has noted with grave concern the violence and protest action sparked by the incident, resulting in the disruption of schooling on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, tensions erupted outside the embattled school as police fired stun grenades to disperse angry parents, including political activists and community members, who were demanding justice for a 16-year-old Grade 10 learner brutally assaulted in a bullying incident captured on video.
“The ANC condemns all forms of violence. In the same breath, the ANC condemns incidents of violence in schools and subsequent demonstrations that disrupt learning and compromise the atmosphere where the doors of learning are open to all.
"It is unacceptable for anyone to dismiss these incidents or to accept them as bad behaviour that reflects the moral decadence of society today,” Bhengu-Motsiri further stated.
