Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) has dealt with several cases of bullying at schools in the past few weeks.
Parents, Guardians & Scholars have approached the RUSA Headquarters complaining of bullying at several schools in the Ethekweni Region in KZN. Details of the schools have been intentionally withheld. Three (3) of the children who were victims of bullying attempted suicide in the past ten (10) days.
When victims/parents were interviewed Reaction Officers established that the perpetrators had targeted mostly females. The bullies were identified as male & female students who verbally abused & assaulted the victims over a period of time on & off the school premises. Several had suffered visible injuries.
RUSA Paramedics who responded to three (3) of these attempted suicides established that one child was tormented on social media platforms regarding a hygiene condition that was exaggerated. Her picture was used with text mocking her. She refused to return to school after children walked up to her and repeatedly questioned her regarding her body odour and held their noses.
Paramedics further attended to a child who took an overdose of medication & slit her wrists after female bullies repeatedly assaulted her. She was hospitalised following the attempt to end her life. She has since changed schools.
A third victim passed out on Saturday (8/03/2024) after she refused to eat following repeated intimidation & verbal abuse by a class mate. Paramedics established that the child had suffered an anxiety attack and had been weak from refusing to consume meals. After the child regained consciousness, she informed her parents of the bully that has been targeting four (4) other students and threatened to assault them outside school.
Reaction Officers have dealt with several more cases since the opening of KZN schools in 2025.
