‘It’s like the Wild West’: 50 Western Cape teachers assaulted by learners in 2025
Teachers in the Western Cape have been battling with severe violence from students.
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702 and CapeTalk’s Africa Melane speaks with Basil Manuel, Executive Director at National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa).
Listen below:
Teachers are facing a safety crisis at the hands of learners.
In the Western Cape alone, 50 teachers have been assaulted since January.
In a recently reported case, a teacher was allegedly assaulted with a brick by a grade 9 pupil.
Manuel says there are likely far more incidents that have gone unreported.
“This could be just the tip of the iceberg.”
- Basil Manuel, Executive Director at Naptosa
He adds that teachers are not receiving the support they need in these cases.
“It sounds like the wild west out there.”
- Basil Manuel, Executive Director at Naptosa
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Unfortunately, these cases are likely a symptom of a bigger issue in the communities.
Many of these children are raised in violent homes and violent communities, and they come to school and continue the cycle of violence they have become accustomed to.
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