When bullying is ignored the scars become permanent

IN PLAYGROUNDS, WhatsApp groups and school corridors across South Africa, bullying isn't just a playground drama; it's a silent crisis reshaping children's mental health, social life and future relationships.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

Once brushed off as a “rite of passage”, bullying now affects an estimated 40% of school-going children, according to research from the Department of Basic Education.

Even more alarming is that one in three South African teenagers is a victim of cyberbullying, where group chats, doctored photos and social media shaming extend humiliation far beyond the school gates, leaving no safe space.

“We're not just dealing with bruises anymore,” warns Dr Alicia Porter, psychiatrist and board member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP).

Porter adds, “Children become anxious, depressed and sometimes even suicidal. The psychological wounds often last far longer than the physical ones.”

Children who are bullied often hide what’s happening, only speaking out after repeated trauma. What's left behind is deep: loss of self-esteem, academic decline, social withdrawal and sometimes self-harm.

Porter says the real tragedy is that these aren’t just childhood memories.