Bullies must stop 'barbaric actions' says pastor at learner's funeral

A 16-year-old student from Silemale Secondary School, Zwidofhela Netshiungani, who had allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday, 27 February after reportedly being bullied by other students at school, was laid to rest at the Khubvi Cemetery on Sunday morning.

Addressing more than 3,000 mourners who braved a very chilly morning to support the bereaved Netshiungani family, Pastor Billy Mudau lashed out at learners who bully others at school, branding them as enemies of progress, and warned them to cease such barbaric actions.

“Your parents send you to school to learn and acquire an education for a bright future, not to bully others,” he stated. He added that their church is located just behind the Silemale School premises, and they frequently observe boys and girls sneaking out of the school premises during school hours and disappearing into nearby bushes. “You are not there to start families. Concentrate on what your parents have sent you to school to do,” he urged.

The chairperson of the Khubvi Civic Association, Mr Tsumbedzo Ratshilumela, called on parents to support the education of their children. “One of the problems affecting learners at Silemale Secondary School is that parents are not supporting teachers and the Department of Education in addressing issues affecting their children at the school,” he lamented. A visibly angry Mr Ratshilumela expressed his frustration that when parents are invited to attend meetings at the school, they often do not attend.

“As we speak, there is no school-governing body (SGB) at Silemale Secondary School. We hear bullying is rampant at the school, and there is nothing that teachers can do. As parents, how do you feel when we end up burying kids who commit suicide because of your children’s actions?” he questioned.

He highlighted that the learners’ academic performance at the school is subpar because instead of focusing on their education, they are preoccupied with bullying others. “It ranked last in the matric results last year. This school is embarrassing us as residents of Khubvi village. One death is too many, and this must stop now,” he declared.

Date:15 March 2024

By: Victor Mukwevho

Victor Mukwevho Ne-vumbani joined the Mirror during it's inception in 1990. He joined the SABC newsroom in 1995, and was known by  listeners as "A u fhedzisela ari". He was a news editor for The Tembisan Newspaper from 2007 to 2015. He rejoined the Limpopo Mirror newspaper in June 2022 as a freelance journalist.

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