Boys, Bullying, and Belonging: Unraveling Violence in a South African School

Violence within South African schools is a critical issue. The minister of basic education stated to parliament in 2025 thathundreds of bullying caseshad been documented in the initial weeks of the year. Since that time, a sequence of concerning events have continued to capture public attention.attention.

While these events reflect thehigh rates of violencein the nation, these are also indicators of deeper issues within South African educational institutions.

In 2015, the administration launched theNational School Safety Frameworkto establish baseline safety requirements and assist schools in recognizing and fulfilling their obligations. Itnotedthe connection between violence and various environmental elements that contribute to secure and supportive learning environments by considering the school's position within its larger community.

The framework suggests an awarenessthe role of structural factors in school violence. However, the continued increase in cases of personal violence among students highlights the importance of renewed focus, particularly among male students.

We are scholars with interests in the anthropology of masculinities and health, as well as inclusive education and children's geographies. In a recentstudywe came across a tradition in schools known as ukufikisana: a form of initiation where older boys demonstrate their authority over younger boys, typically through physical aggression and fear tactics.

Based on the isiZulu expression "ukufikisana emandleni" ("testing each other's strength"), this practice has parallels with "hazing" or bullying. However, it also highlights the social and cultural aspects of violence in schools. For example, schoolboys referred to ukufikisana as the process through which one becomes "truly a boy," indicating that experiencing and engaging in violence is seen as unavoidable.

Our results show how ukufikisana supports hierarchical gender dynamics and presents violence as a way for boys to handle power and identity. This is strongly established within the school setting.

We recommend that the answers can be found in the interaction between poverty, violence, and societal expectations regarding gender.

What young males have mentioned regarding bullying

The studyrelied on a broader photovoice study that examined students' views on violence within and near their school. It centered on 14 male teenagers (ages 14-17) enrolled at a school with limited resources, located in Inanda, within the KwaZulu-Natal province. Inanda is an urban region marked by poverty, joblessness, and significant levels ofviolence and crime. Its situation is a result of the policies implemented against black South Africans underapartheid.

The research involved boys as authorities on their own lives, giving them the opportunity to express their experiences via pictures and videos. We adhered to ethical guidelines to obtain permission from schools, parents, and students. A social worker was present to offer assistance.

We asked the participants to visually represent how violence appeared in their school setting.

Collaborating in pairs, the boys took pictures of simulated violent acts and experiences using mobile phones, reviewed them, and included descriptions. Afterward, they shared this content during focus group discussions, which were recorded visually and transcribed. We aimed to identify common themes in the conversations.

The young men created visuals illustrating the different forms of aggression that occurred in school. In one case, two individuals reenacted a stabbing scenario where senior students threatened to stab a younger boy.

Senior boys referred to ukufikisana as an initiation ritual that solidified their role as "leaders." One mentioned the "younger and powerless boys" as "puppets"; another stated, "it's to show them who is in charge at this school." Another described it as a "baptism of fire," saying:

They should always be ready for it since it is coming for them ... We demonstrate that we are in control of the school and they have to respect that.

Younger boys told us:

They refuse to listen when we attempt to prevent them; instead, they threaten to harm us. I was frightened by them, so I remained silent and allowed them to act as they pleased.

It was painful in more than one aspect. A boy remarked:

Ukufikisana is not only their actions; it is also the words they share with you... After that experience, I withdrew into myself, and I have become more reserved at school.

What ukufikisana does

According to our examination of the boys' statements, it seems that ukufikisana has two roles. For older boys, it acts as a ceremony of initiation that confirms their status as "full boys," and justifies their display of physical power, dominance, and control. For younger boys, the experience reinforces obedience and fragility, portraying them as unfinished or "inferior boys."

Read more: Bullies in South African schools frequently experienced bullying themselves - perspectives from a specialist

This behavior encourages violence among male students in school environments. It also reinforces strict and damaging methods of behaving as boys within the school setting. In school, boys are constantly expected to be prepared for conflict and to demonstrate their dominance through violent actions.

From this viewpoint, it's possible to comprehend why violence might be common andpersistingin certain South African schools.

Read more: Aggressive actions appear in elementary school -- and may also conclude there

In most cases, ukufikisana prepares boys to believe that bullying and the use of violence to assert power are essential traits for their lives. Participants explained how this practice influenced their everyday interactions, creating a culture where dominance and submission became deeply rooted in their perception of masculinity.

Read more: Why do girls keep facing violence in South African schools?

These results correspond to wider issues highlighted in recent studies on bullying prevention,globally and locally, which underscores the importance of school strategies to tackle bullying.

What needs to change

We recommend that in order to successfully address bullying, schools must go beyond disciplinary actions and strict no-tolerance approaches. Rather, they should implement inclusive and community-based methods that take into account the connection between poverty, violence, and gender expectations, while also enabling students to play a role in developing solutions to violence.

An approach to achieving this could involve engaging students as equal partners in efforts to address school violence.

Ndumiso Daluxolo Ngidi, Senior Lecturer, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Melusi Andile Dlamini, Lecturer in Anthropology, Rhodes University

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Tagged: South Africa, Legal and Judicial Affairs, Education, Southern Africa

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