KZN pupil shares heartbreaking bullying experience on social media

The KwaZulu-Natal education department has deployed a psychologist and legal assistant to help a grade 11 female pupil who shared an emotional video about being bullied and abused at school.

The pupil, who posted the video to TikTok on Friday, spoke of how she had been bullied by a male pupil in the same grade. 

The department said it established that the distressed grade 11 pupil is from eMpephose High School in King Cetshwayo district, northern KZN. 

The alleged bullying is said to have escalated to assault when she was beaten up twice last week.

“This guy has been bullying me since February, and there was a time where I wanted to drop out because of him. This boy [pointing at a picture behind her] has continued to bully me until now. He assaulted me numerous times,” she said. 

The girl also shared some screenshots from a Facebook post shared by the alleged bully where he joked about the assault.

“I am doing this video because some kids leave their homes to study because they want better marks [in matric] and they meet such boys, who will bully them until they feel like dropping out. I am one of them.

"He gave a shady apology. But what can I say? Today he felt like a real man because he laid a hand on a woman. I’m tired of people who bully me just because they know I don’t have anyone who will fight for me and my family is in Durban, and I’m alone here.

"I still have another year with him if he passes, that means he will continue to bully me in grade 12,” said the emotional pupil. 

The department said it managed to trace the victim at the weekend and arranged for their psychologist to have a session with her. They interacted with her family and helped her open a case against the alleged perpetrator. 

KZN education MEC Mbali Frazer called on community members to give the department and law enforcement agencies time to investigate the case and give the pupil privacy.

"This matter is very sensitive, especially in a country like ours where gender-based violence is rife. May we refrain from politicising the unfortunate incident in the hope of scoring political gains. The department has zero tolerance for bullying,” she said. 

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