Latest news with #BedfordviewHighSchool
The Herald
20-05-2025
- The Herald
What do you think is the most effective way to prevent bullying among teenagers?
The recent incident that saw seven girls arrested for allegedly bullying a 14-year-old girl has sparked concern about the need for effective solutions to stop bullying among teenagers. The incident was captured in a viral video showing a group of pupils from four high schools assaulting a Bedfordview High School pupil in Yeoville, Johannesburg, on Saturday. The girls, aged 13 and 15, appeared in the Johannesburg magistrate's court on Monday. The case was postponed to May 21. The implicated pupils were also suspended by their respective schools. The Gauteng education department has condemned the incident and urged pupils to speak out against bullying and any form of violence. 'Silence only protects the aggressor and that can lead to more misconduct,' said department spokesperson Steve Mabona. 'Pupils are encouraged to report incidents to a trusted teacher, school leadership, their parents or guardians or the nearest Gauteng department of education office.' He urged parents to work with schools and the department to instil discipline, empathy and accountability in pupils. 'Together we can cultivate a culture of respect towards education institutions, which will ensure Gauteng schools remain safe spaces for quality learning and teaching.'
IOL News
20-05-2025
- IOL News
Seven teens charged with assault: Court appearance sparks outrage
Following their court appearance on Monday, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has condemned the behaviour of four girls who allegedly assaulted another young learner in a video that went viral on social media. The teenage girls were filmed assaulting one of their peers. Image: Screenshot Seven teenagers accused of assaulting another teenager appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court for a Preliminary Inquiry (PLI) as dictated by the Child Justice Act. The Act states that a PLI should be held within 48 hours of the arrest of a minor child to determine among others, their personal circumstances, their backgrounds as well as any factors that may have led to the commission of the alleged offence. Their case was postponed to May 21, 2025, for the finalisation of the PLI, where two of the minors underwent the necessary assessment by probation officers. The girls, aged between 13 and 14, were arrested after a video showing a group of girls attacking another 14-year-old Bedfordview High School pupil went viral on social media. In the video, four girls are seen approaching the victim, and following an argument, the victim is slapped by one of the girls while she remains on the bed and covers her face with her hands. In a statement on Monday, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane, condemned the incident, stating: "The case relates to an incident that happened in Yeoville on May 10, 2025, where a 14-year-old complainant was allegedly assaulted by the group, following an altercation. The NPA condemns the alleged attack and encourages the youth to find amicable ways to resolve conflict." The pupils reported to be from Bedfordview High School, Queens High School, Kensington High School, and Phoenix College each face a charge of common assault after the victim reported them to her school and opened a case on May 18, 2025. Ahead of their court appearance, Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo indicated that the police opened a case of common assault at the local police station and the suspects were rounded up. Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, stated that the department took issue with violent behaviour against the victim and widely condemned the incident. Spokesperson for the department, Steve Mabona, indicated that the matter was being investigated by the respective schools. "The schools have begun internal investigations into the misconduct of the learners involved, in line with the codes of conduct and applicable disciplinary procedures from both schools. Psycho-social support will be provided by the department to all affected learners, including the victim. "The GDE strongly condemns such acts of violence among learners. Violent behaviour among learners, whether within school grounds or beyond, is unacceptable and will carry serious consequences that may affect learners' education and long-term prospects. "We reaffirm that fostering safe, respectful, and supportive learning environments is a top priority for the Department. We also call on parents and guardians to play an active role in shaping the values and conduct of their children. Building a non-violent society starts at home," Mabona said. [email protected]
The Citizen
19-05-2025
- The Citizen
7 teens appear in court after shocking assault video goes viral
The pupils, aged between 13 and 14 have been suspended from their schools and each face a charge of common assault. Seven high school pupils, who are accused of assaulting another pupil, appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Monday. The girls, aged between 13 and 14, were arrested after a video showing a group of girls attacking another 14-year-old Bedfordview High School pupil went viral on social media. They appeared in court for a Preliminary Inquiry (PLI) or hearing before a child justice court as dictated by the Child Justice Act and have been released into the custody of their parents. The Act states that a PLI should be held within 48 hours of the arrest of a minor child to determine, amongst others, their personal circumstances and their backgrounds, as well as any factors that may have led to the minor committing the alleged offence. Case postponed The pupils from Bedfordview High School, Kensington High School, Queens High School, and Phoenix College each face a charge of common assault after the victim reported them to her school and opened a case on 12 May. 'Their case was postponed to 21 May 2025 for the finalisation of the PLI where two of the minors have undergone the necessary assessment by probation officers,' National Prosecution Authority (NPA) Gauteng spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said in a statement. According to the NPA, the incident happened in Yeoville, Johannesburg, on 10 May following an altercation. ALSO READ: Discipline and learning collapse at Wordsworth High School NPA and GDE condemn learners' actions 'The NPA condemns the alleged attack and encourages the youth to find amicable ways to resolve conflict,' Mjonondwane said. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has also condemned the actions of the seven pupils and said they were swiftly suspended from their respective schools. 'The GDE strongly condemns such acts of violence among learners. Violent behaviour among learners, whether within school grounds or beyond, is unacceptable and will carry serious consequences that may affect learners' education and long-term prospects,' the department said in a statement on Monday. 'We reaffirm that fostering safe, respectful, and supportive learning environments is a top priority for the department.' Schools investigate The department said the schools have begun internal investigations into the misconduct of the pupils involved, in line with their codes of conduct and applicable disciplinary procedures. All affected pupils, including the victim, will receive psycho-social support provided by the GDE. 'Building a non-violent society' 'We also call on parents and guardians to play an active role in shaping the values and conduct of their children. Building a non-violent society starts at home,' the department said. 'Parents must work hand in hand with schools and the department to instil discipline, empathy, and accountability in our learners. Together, we can cultivate a society of respect towards education institutions, which will ensure that Gauteng schools remain safe spaces for quality learning and teaching.' ALSO READ: Stabbed teacher returns to school as frustrated parents demand solutions The GDE also urged pupils to report bullying incidents and any form of violence to their teachers, school leadership, parents or guardians, or the nearest GDE district office. Silence only protects the aggressor, and that can lead to more misconduct, the department said. *For additional support, pupils can freely contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) at 0800 567 567 or reach out to Childline South Africa on 116. Both are free, confidential, and available 24/7. Incidents of bullying or violence can also be reported directly to the GDE via WhatsApp on 060 891 0361 or through the GDE Contact Centre on 0800 000 789.
IOL News
19-05-2025
- IOL News
Seven girls suspended after Gauteng Education Department takes action against bullies
The teenage girls were filmed assaulting one of their peers. Image: Screenshot The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has expressed serious concerns following the arrest of seven girls by police for assaulting another learner in a video that went viral on social media. According to the department, the attackers, aged between 13 and 14 years old, attend Bedfordview High School, Kensington High School, Queens High School, and Phoenix College. The victim is a learner at Bedfordview High and from Yeoville in Johannesburg. 'According to our information at our disposal, the victim reported this matter to the school on Monday, May 12, 2025, and alleged that the unfortunate group attack took place at one of the houses in Yeoville, where the learners reside,' GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said. 'The perpetrators, which is a group of seven girl learners, include four learners from Bedfordview High School (three in Grade 8 and one in Grade 9), one learner from Queens High School (Grade 9), one learner from Kensington High School (Grade 8), and one learner from Phoenix College (Grade 10),' Mabona said. The girls appeared in court on Monday and face charges of common assault. The GDE also confirmed that the group of bullies was suspended by their respective schools. 'The schools have begun internal investigations into the misconduct of the learners involved, in line with the codes of conduct and applicable disciplinary procedures from both schools. Psycho-social support will be provided by the Department to all affected learners, including the victim,' Mabona said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He said the Department strongly condemns such acts of violence among learners. Violent behaviour among learners, whether within school grounds or beyond, is unacceptable and will carry serious consequences that may affect learners' education and long-term prospects. 'We reaffirm that fostering safe, respectful, and supportive learning environments is a top priority for the Department,' he said The Department has called on parents and guardians to play an active role in shaping the values and conduct of their children. 'Building a non-violent society starts at home. Parents must work hand-in-hand with schools and the Department to instil discipline, empathy, and accountability in our learners. Together, we can cultivate a society of respect towards educational institutions, which will ensure that Gauteng schools remain safe spaces for quality learning and teaching,' Mabona said. Learners have also been urged to speak out against bullying and any form of violence, whether directed at them or at their peers. 'Silence only protects the aggressor, and that can lead to more misconduct. Learners are encouraged to report incidents to a trusted teacher, school leadership, their parents or guardians, or the nearest Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) district office,' Mabona said. Learners can freely contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) at 0800 567 567 or reach out to Childline South Africa on 116. Both are free, confidential, and available 24/7. IOL Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
