The DBE’s School Safety Directorate condemns any kind of conduct that seem to incite or promote an act of violence or bullying within the school environment. Any perpetrator implicated in these nonsensical acts will face school-level disciplinary actions or even criminal charges, according to the Directorate.
The DBE, through the School Safety Directorate, presented a draft Manual, Bullying Prevention in South African Schools: A Guide for Educators and School Staff, during the commemoration of the International Day Against Violence and Bullying held at the DBE Conference Centre in Pretoria on 12 November 2025. The theme for this year is “Screen Smart: Learning to be Safe within the Digital Space.” The DBE’s intention is to use this Manual to capacitate schools in identifying bullying incidents, its manifestations and impact on learners and teachers, and to assist schools in managing bullying incidents.
Mr Sifiso Ngobese, Director of School Safety, reiterated that the development of the Manual was supported by extensive evidence-based research done by the Institute of Security Studies, which revealed alignment between international practices on bullying prevention and the content of the Manual. Stakeholders were further granted until the end of November 2025 to submit written inputs related to the Manual. The DBE hopes to consolidate the inputs and launch the Manual early next year.
Mr Sammy Maraba from the School Safety Directorate, indicated that the Manual will empower schools in protecting learners against the scourge of bullying and school violence incidents in the country: “Bullying is an intentional and ongoing act of aggression or intimidation that typically involves an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim. Unlike simple conflicts or friendly teasing, bullying is marked by a consistent effort to cause harm and often targets individuals who find it difficult to defend themselves. Bullying is classified in various elements, including physical bullying; verbal bullying; social bullying; sexual bullying; cyber bullying; Gender-Based Bullying; prejudicial bullying; and spiritual related bullying”.
Mr Maraba added that “the impact of bullying can be severe if not addressed promptly. Bullying can affect a learner’s emotional and psychological wellbeing, to a point whereby the victim can be subjected to depression, anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation. For some victims, bullying can lead to a decline in performance; absenteeism; a lack of concentration; and even school dropout. Additionally, bullying can push victims to isolation; peer conflict; difficulty forming relationships; mistrust; aggression; substance use; and self-harm. Long-term consequences of bullying are persistent mental health issues; poor life outcomes; and intergenerational cycles of violence”. During the engagement session, various participants affirmed that bullying could be prevented if schools were capacitated in the early detection of bullying.
Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule and 2024 Miss South Africa, Mia Le Roux, were also in attendance. Deputy Minister Mhaule and Ms Le Roux called on various sectors of society to stand together in combatting bullying and school violence to ensure that learners acquire quality education in an environment that is conducive to learning.