Despite being banned in South Africa for almost 30 years, corporal punishment remains a concerning issue. Recent data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) show that 3 out of 10 households in South Africa believe that physically punishing children is acceptable if they talk back or argue with their parents. This revelation came to light during the country’s observation of Child Protection Week.
In recent years, South African schools have been plagued by a worrying trend of teachers engaging in assault and corporal punishment. The Eastern Cape province, in particular, has seen six teachers from different schools facing investigations for such offenses. Last year, three teachers were dismissed for similar misconduct, and another resigned earlier this year. The issue came to light again after an incident at Huku Senior Secondary School in Mandileni village, where three grade 12 students accused their principal of beating them.
