South African authorities have suspended eight pupils linked to a case of alleged bullying that has caused national outrage.
A video showing a horrific assault at Milnerton High School in Cape Town last week has been widely shared on social media.
Several boys are seen repeatedly hitting a fellow pupil with various objects, including a hockey stick, hose pipe, and belt. According to reports, the boy was one of nine allegedly assaulted.
Bullying in schools is a significant problem in South Africa, with videos depicting violent attacks often going viral. This latest clip is among the most horrific to emerge in recent years.
Organisations and political parties have condemned the incident while the police have confirmed that an assault case has been opened. One of the organizations speaking out was Amnesty International South Africa, which described the video as deeply disturbing and called for timely disciplinary action.
The South African education ministry stated it has been in contact with the Western Cape education department, which oversees the school, confirming that the suspended pupils would face disciplinary action. Both the ministry and the department have urged the public not to share the video of the assault, citing the need to protect the victim's trauma and dignity.
Furthermore, an online publication, News24, interviewed the mother of the assaulted boy, who revealed that her son is a cancer survivor and had recently completed chemotherapy earlier this year.
My child had just beaten cancer [only] for something like this to happen to him, she expressed to News24.
