Child suffering after bullying incident, says mother
The mother of a Pietermaritzburg schoolboy says her son has continued to suffer emotionally and physically after an alleged incident of bullying.
CCTV footage on the premises of Maritzburg College showed the 15-year-old being head-butted in the face by a matric learner earlier this year.
The boy's mother, who cannot be named in order to protect the child’s identity, says her son had surgery for a broken nose.
" The impact has been devastating and far-reaching. From a physical perspective, he definitely required the facial nose reconstructive surgery to repair the damage to his nose.
"Academically, his performance has dropped significantly. He is usually a child who performs quite well at school, and the decline shows, and it is a direct reflection of the trauma."
READ: KZN Education probes alleged bullying at Pinetown school
She has appealed to the school to strengthen safety measures to prevent future incidents.
"Does the school want a serious injury, or do they want somebody to perish before they do something more drastic in regulation with their code of conduct, with serious misconduct is concerned?"
Police say the teen accused of the assault is due back in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court on 26 June.
Earlier this week, the KZN Department of Education stressed its zero-tolerance policy for violence in schools, warning learners caught in fights and assaults will face the consequences.
In response, the school's governing body said there was no evidence to substantiate that the incident involving the boys was a bullying incident. “
It was a once-off incident stemming from an argument over a phone. Maritzburg College does not tolerate violence or bullying in any form and has strict policies in place to deal with both if and when they occur. There is a strict Code of Conduct and Bullying Policy in place that guides both learners and staff.
“As parents ourselves, we were highly concerned that the first incident happened. The school took immediate action, both punitive and corrective. Almost immediately, Learner 1 was placed on cautionary suspension, and within six working days, a disciplinary hearing was held.
The school said medical information was requested and supplied by the parent of the alleged victim and was taken into consideration during the hearing.
“As the pertinent facts were established prior to the hearing and Learner 1 admitted his wrongdoing, Learner 2’s in-person testimony and that of his family were not needed to establish guilt or the extent of injuries.
“We would like to reiterate that an incident that results in one of our boys being injured can never be condoned. It has been rigorously investigated and swiftly and decisively dealt with. The SGB remains satisfied that the school has acted in good faith and followed all protocols.”
* This article was edited on 13 June 2025 to include the school's response.
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