The Constitutional Court ruling that spanking children is illegal has drawn mixed reactions on social media.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ConCourt said the ruling had its roots in a 2017 case, in which a father was convicted of assaulting his 13-year-old son. It further stated that the ruling was meant to advance SA towards non-violence.
Human rights groups, including Sonke Gender Justice and The Children's Institute, said chastising children by spanking them unjustifiably limited their rights to dignity and freedom from violence and amounted to assault.
Some were far from pleased, while others asked for tips on how to best raise children without subjecting them to violence.
So the Constitutional Court has made it illegal to spank your child? Thank goodness we don't spank our children in South Africa, here we beat them! We dont play! #concourt pic.twitter.com/1P9jO0jLv6
— Jesse F. (@JesseFJacobs) September 18, 2019
#ConCourt 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 the problem is that kids will still have to report the spanking to police officers who are also black parents, so im not sure how this is gonna work pic.twitter.com/T2Mqr7qj50
— ZeroTheHero (@Sabz_Shluthu) September 18, 2019
I can already hear that one black parent "spanking their child nge vaslaap saying "ucabanga ukuthi kuse Constitutional Court la? Kukwami la Dammit" 😂😂😂#ConCourt
— Nompumelelo🌼 (@lelo_enhle) September 18, 2019
I think the #ConCourt decision on chastising your children is an indictment on what we call/accept as ‘parenting’.
— Mafungwase (@NomMkhize1) September 19, 2019
Truth is, we don’t know any other discipline methods but the rod or threats of violence. We scoff at the alternatives without trying them.
Dear Parents Twitter,
— Khanya Thembane (@noksy_k) September 18, 2019
Share tips on how to discipline children without yelling or hitting them. #ConCourt
LISTEN | What impact will the ConCourt ruling on spanking have?
