The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Friday expressed concerns about bullying in schools in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
The three provincial departments presented their annual performance plans for the 2025/26 financial year to the committee.
Committee members highlighted that bullying remains pervasive, poorly addressed and inconsistently reported in schools. Members noted that learners are often unwilling to come forward because there is a perception that nothing is done about it. Members also noted that part of the problem is that anti-bullying policies in many schools are insufficient or incomplete, and that there are often no clear reporting mechanisms, disciplinary procedures, or safety interventions in place. According to the committee, this leaves children vulnerable, demoralised and afraid. It also contributes to absenteeism and school dropouts.
In the Eastern Cape, the provincial education department recorded that over 3 400 learners were affected by bullying incidents this year, with 140 incidents documented in the first quarter. Although there were no reported cases in the second quarter, members heard that over 3 257 learners were identified as involved in bullying-related cases. This, it was noted, points to under-reporting and inconsistencies in school-level data.
In Mpumalanga, the committee heard that learners and six educators reported 131 bullying incidents in the first two quarters of the 2025/26 financial year. These cases included reports of physical assaults, intimidation, racism, homophobic bullying, extortion, and cyber-bullying.
According to the committee, the statistics underscore the seriousness of the safety crisis in schools. Members called on the department to strengthen measures, such as mandatory School Safety Policies and the consistent implementation of monitoring tools, audit checklists, and School Safety Diagnostic Tools, to protect children and educators.
In Limpopo, members heard the provincial education department recorded 11 bullying cases this year compared to 54 in 2024. Members were also concerned that the department did not present a coherent provincial strategy to prevent bullying and ensure accountability. Some Members were also concerned about the lack of training for School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and teachers to handle bullying incidents, and called for urgent department-led campaigns, standardised policies and community engagement to ensure that schools provide safe, supportive learning environments.
The committee welcomed the efforts of the three provincial departments to address bullying through anti-bullying awareness campaigns, but stressed that the scale of the problem requires more than advocacy. Members noted that bullying remains one of the most destabilising forces in the education system, and it affects the safety of learners and their psycho-social wellbeing. The committee called for the implementation of comprehensive, enforced anti-bullying strategies in all schools that involve parents and surrounding communities.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Joy Maimela, asked the departments to provide comprehensive anti-bullying policies and to specify how many schools are implementing them. Ms Maimela said the incidence of bullying shows that policies to ensure safety are not being enforced effectively. “Departments must ensure that reporting lines, preventative steps and intervention measures contained in these policies translate into real change at the school level,” she said.
In addition to its requests relating to bullying, the committee also requested that the three provinces submit baseline Early Childhood Development (ECD) data and comprehensive written responses to the Auditor-General’s findings, including timelines. The committee also expects consolidated school infrastructure reports and updates on the eradication of pit latrines in schools, with clear timelines. The Limpopo Department of Education specifically was asked to provide a full report on the audit of its special schools and corrective plans. Provinces were given seven working days to deliver the information, with the option to request an extension by Tuesday.
Alicestine October
17 November 2025
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