Every school day, thousands of South African children walk into classrooms where learning is overshadowed by intimidation, violence, and fear.
As bullying continues to plague schools across the country, legal experts are warning that schools and provincial education departments could face costly civil claims where repeated warning signs are ignored and learners suffer harm.
The scale of the problem is reflected in figures released by provincial education departments. Gauteng recorded 1,079 reported bullying incidents during 2025, while the Western Cape reported 149 cases, a 28% increase from the previous year. In the Eastern Cape, the provincial education department said more than 3,400 learners were affected by bullying incidents during the year.
New analysis by Teneo Online School also found that online searches for “school bullying” surged by 202% in the week schools reopened for the third term on 21 July. Search interest remained relatively flat during the winter holidays before climbing sharply as learners returned to school, reaching around 1,000 searches during the month.
Against this backdrop, Kirstie Haslam, a Partner and personal injury specialist at DSC Attorneys, said schools have a legal obligation that extends beyond education.
