We should start seeing and treating bullying for what it is — not merely an act of callousness but a violent assertion of power and a failure of systems. Bullying not only thrives in classrooms but has filtered into the workplace in an institutionalised and legitimised manner.
Bullying is a phenomenon which has evolved; it no longer hides in the corners of playgrounds or school corridors unchecked, but also thrives in boardrooms, the hallowed halls of hospitals, government buildings and corporate spaces.
The death of medical intern Dr Alulutho Mazwi last week at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in eThekwini, after he was allegedly denied sick leave, is not just a story of institutional neglect but a jarring reminder that bullying rears its head across the very systems meant to care for us.
“I expect you to be on duty.” This is allegedly the message Mazwi received from his line manager after he informed them of his ill health.These words cut through the air with an authoritarian chill. It is not only inhumane, it is coercive.
It’s the kind of thing that shows what happens when power is unchecked and becomes a tool of subjection. Mazwi reached out to his superior in distress, only to be met with a demand instead of support, resulting in him collapsing and dying on duty. His illness and exhaustion were not treated as a red flag, but as a weakness.
This is an isolated incident, but it speaks to a broader and more disturbing trend.
Schools are supposed to be environments that cultivate safety for children while they learn and prepare for their future — they have instead turned into a battlefield. TimesLIVE reported that seven girls from Queens and Athlone High School were arrested for the assault of a 14-year-old.
They not only carried out the assault, but filmed and shared it for the world to consume online. This speaks to a normalisation of cruelty and reflects a lack of proper systems to teach young people how to deal with conflict.
What was so pressing that it required a team of seven to go against one? Do they not know other ways to solve their problems rather than resorting to violence? What is the role of Life Orientation as a subject if young people still don’t know how to handle themselves properly? Some of these bullies go on to be managers who oppress and undermine staff members, leaving us shocked that someone who was ill was denied leave.
Unless it goes viral or causes death, we seem as a society to be desensitised to the violence that comes with bullying
A month ago, a 13-year-old pupil took her own life after allegedly being bullied at Vulindlela Primary School in Harrismith, Free State. Her final note, which her mother found, detailed how she was bullied multiple times by her peers — she did not have one bully but many who were against her, and no-one came to her rescue.
One thing is clear: bullying is not limited to schoolchildren who have not yet learnt conflict resolution skills. It is enforced and thrives through whispers among colleagues, othering, prejudices, through orders barked down corridors, and further enabled by the shrugs of bystanders who don’t want to get involved.
Unless it goes viral or causes death, we seem as a society to be desensitised to the violence that comes with bullying. When will enough be enough? We cannot keep teaching children to be kind when adults use processes to demean and bully their subordinates.
The truth that we need to reckon with is that bullying is a sign of structural rot that kills.
For opinion and analysis consideration, email Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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