By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
24 October 2025- The ANC said it has noted with grave concern the incidence of violence that took place on 16 October 2025 against a pupil in the Milnerton High School in Cape Town, Western Cape. The party said it has noted the contents of the video that showed pupils of the said school actively involved in this incident.
The ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said they welcome the statements made by the Western Cape ANC Women’s League, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Basic Education and commends the school, education district and the Western Cape Provincial Department of Education for the actions that have been taken thus far. Bhengu said they are awaiting the outcome of these good efforts.
“The ANC is also aware of allegations by some learners that Milnerton High School has on several occasions not acted when incidents of bullying and racism were reported to relevant authorities. These allegations deserve to be investigated by neutral parties and acted upon by the school management, if found to be true.
“The ANC condemns all forms of violence. In the same breath, it condemns incidents of violence in schools and subsequent demonstrations that disrupt learning and compromise the atmosphere where the doors of learning are open to all,” she said.
Bhengu further said it is unacceptable for anyone to dismiss these incidents or to accept them as bad behaviour that reflects the moral decadence of society today. She added that every community, society or state has a duty to constantly improve itself to become the best.
“The ANC call upon all stakeholders in education, firstly to parents and family members to play their part in the cultivation of a culture of respect and discipline amongst their children, as the family is the most important unit that instils good values into these youth and learners and secondly to the learners, teachers, school governing bodies and all other stakeholders such as teacher unions, to play their part in contributing to the cultivation of a culture where respect, good conduct, punctuality, diligence and maintenance of law and order in schools and educational institutions becomes the norm.
“The ANC calls for a thorough investigation of this incident of violence against a learner, which happened at the Milnerton High School in Cape Town on 16 October 2025. The ANC also calls upon all stakeholders in education to work together to find sustainable solutions that will assist all schools, education districts, provincial departments of education to put in place a simple and effective system that will restore discipline, respect and law and order in schools permanently in schools across the length and breadth of our country, South Africa,” said Bhengu.
The Guardian 