Havens of havoc — the alarming rise of violence in South African schools

Last month, armed men stormed Zanemfundo Primary School in Philippi, Western Cape, demanding protection money. The incident highlighted the escalating crisis of violence engulfing South African schools. It has left teachers and children deeply traumatised, with many hesitant to return to a place that should be a sanctuary of learning. 

Sadly, this is not an isolated event. Across the nation, schools are increasingly reflecting the violent struggles of the communities they serve, becoming sites of trauma rather than havens for growth.

The constant threat of violence and the experience of traumatic incidents have a devastating impact on both the educational environment and the people within it. One teacher from Kraaifontein, who spoke to Daily Maverick on condition of anonymity, noted that children were hampered by the unsafe environment they were growing up in.

“Every day, teachers are expected to report to the schools, but we can’t blame parents for keeping children indoors. Every school day is important to us. So yes, disruptions like this within a school community are a loss of teaching and learning time,” said the teacher.

Teachers are not immune, and pervasive violence leaves many educators facing secondary trauma and burnout.

“Our schools are turning into crime scenes and we’re expected to show up and teach, but the reality is that our children are living through trauma. Sometimes we’re just trying to keep them and ourselves alive,” said the teacher. 

Reports indicate that incidents like the one at Zanemfundo are becoming all too common. Last year, Laphumikwezi Primary School in Khayelitsha was forced to shut down under similar circumstances, highlighting the vulnerability of educational institutions to criminal elements. The issue goes beyond extortion. A school safety imbizo in Ekurhuleni in 2024 revealed the pervasive presence of “gang activity, drugs and violence” in some local schools.

In South Africa, six out of 10 children are likely to experience a traumatic event before the age of 17. That trauma isn’t left at the school gate – it makes its way into classrooms, affects concentration, delays development and drives behavioural issues.

Judy Strickland, the founder of the Hope House Counselling Centre in Bergvliet, said trauma had a profound impact on a child’s brain development, drawing on the findings of ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) studies.

Strickland told Daily Maverick that children who experienced prolonged or severe trauma underwent abnormal brain development, which had both immediate and lasting negative consequences. She said that when an individual experienced trauma, their brain entered a “fight, flight or freeze mode”. 

If this state of trauma persists throughout childhood, the cortical areas of the brain fail to develop as they should, consequently disrupting both a child’s behaviour and their ability to learn. The long-term impacts are sobering: difficulty regulating emotions, anxiety, dissociation and delayed academic progress.

Damaging consequences

Holistic healing

Positive impacts