WATCH | New school corporal punishment video emerges

The KwaZulu-Natal department of education is planning "harsh action" against a teacher who is seen caning female pupils in a video circulating on social media.

KZN education department's Kwazi Mthethwa confirmed that shortly after the video circulated they were able to identify the teacher from Umdlamfe Secondary School in Esikhawini‚ Richards Bay.

"We will be taking harsh action against the perpetrator. We want to send a clear message that corporal punishment will not be tolerated in our schools and learning facilities."

He said a district official had visited the school.

In the video‚ which appears to be filmed by a pupil‚ a girl is heard screaming and crying as she is hit repeatedly with a cane.

The rest of the class watches the abuse‚ with some openly laughing‚ while another pupil is writing on the chalkboard.

The teacher then moves to another female pupil standing near the door and grabs her.

The teen puts up a battle to evade him and the two struggle. He pulls at her jersey and she shrugs him off in an attempt to get away but he grabs her. The pupil pushes at him and the enraged teacher then lashes out repeatedly at her. The girl screams and eventually manages to leave the classroom still crying loudly.

A few seconds later an older woman enters to find out what the commotion is about and the class goes quiet. The teacher walks to the door.

The video comes three weeks the department condemned the use of corporal punishment by some teachers in response to a 17-second video showing a pupil being hit on his hand by “what looks like a teacher in a classroom”.

It appears the video was on the department’s Whatsapp and it has since gone viral.

“Despite it being banned since 1997‚ some teachers in South African schools continue to dish out corporal punishment‚ often for everyday offences‚” it said in a statement.