People's Post Maitland| Woodstock | City E-edition 28 October 2025

EARLYINTERVENTIONISCRUCIAL

Bullies ‘have low esteem’

Bullying has long been a shadow over South Africa’s schools, but recent incidents have reignited urgent conversations about the deep psychological and social roots of this violence

Bullying in schools has drawn widespread attention after a disturbing video surfaced on social media recently, showing a Milnerton High

School learner being assaulted by fellow learners

As a result, eight learners appeared at the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 23 October on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm

Six learners were granted R2 000

bail, while the two minors were released with warnings

People’s Post spoke to Dr Sifiso Shabangu, Clinical Psychologist and Postdoctoral Fellow at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Educational Psychology, who explained the complex reasons behind bullying

“The learner could be experiencing low self-esteem, for reasons such as an unsupportive home environment, and the bullying could be a mechanism for asserting and inserting themselves into a space to gain popularity, which is more about visibility

“Feeling like they are seen, even if the lens for their visibility harms others Everyone wants to be acknowl-

edged after all, more so for children who are fuelled by external praise ”

He notes that social environments also contribute to bullying behaviour

Shabangu explains that peer pressure and group dynamics play a significant role in influencing a learner’s decision to bully others, as many young people engage in such behaviour to gain acceptance, avoid exclusion, or establish a sense of belonging among their peers

“Learners are still developing and navigating these spaces to craft an identity for themselves Part of this identity is a sense of belonging and an avoidance of ostracization This means the learner must assimilate

and endear themselves to the demands of the environment – whether good or bad ”

Shabangu believes early intervention can reduce the likelihood of continued aggressive behaviour later in life

“Early and evidence-based interventions teach learners emotion regulation, conflict resolution, and reduce the health burden from future mental illness, and potentially lessen the likelihood of future contact with law enforcement for the bully ”

mandMSGforpoor

NEARLY70%OFCHILDREN LIVEINPOVERTY,40% HOUSEHOLDSUNABLETOMEET BASICNUTRITIONALNEEDS

stress and reduces the incidence of low-birthweight babies, a key predictor of stunting,” says Liezel Engelbrecht, Nutrition Lead at DG Murray Trust

Nearly 70% of children in South Africa live in poverty, with almost 40% in households unable to meet basic nutritional needs (“NGOs urge South African government to approve maternal support grant” People’s Post, 4 February 2025)

Chronic malnutrition begins in the womb and can lead to stunting, which affects learning, cognitive development and future economic productivity

“Children who do not receive proper nutrition in the womb and early months are more likely to face stunting, poor cognitive development and lower educational outcomes,” warns Nicola Eley, deputy director of Grow great The coalition says the MSG is not charity but justice It would reach women in informal work who are excluded from maternity benefits, helping to reduce inequality and break intergenera-

A coalition of NGOs and researchers is urging the South African government to approve a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) to help poor pregnant women, as child poverty and malnutrition continue to rise. PHOTO SUPPLIED

tional cycles of poverty

Advocates highlight that nearly half of eligible infants do not access the CSG in their first year, leaving a gap in crucial early nutrition Introducing the MSG would ensure financial support reaches families during this critical period, improving health and long-term educational outcomes

The coalition is calling on the Department of Social Development to table the MSG policy before Cabinet without delay, ensuring pregnant women and their unborn children receive the support they need

disreallymadeofthesedays

something different It gave me the feeling that I’d bitten into the modern world and discovered what it was really made of That’s the way we ’ re going nowadays Everything slick and streamlined, everything made out of something else ”

This passage from George Orwell’s novel Coming up for air has become a haunting metaphor to describe this glittery age we find ourselves racing to embrace and understand

First published in 1939 just before World War 2 and the birth of the atomic bomb, two terrifying phenomena that would alter life and our idea of safety and security forever

And yet I find the novel still captures the unease and paranoia that technological and industrial innovation presents our society in 2025

A few years ago, we survived and emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, where we witnessed hybrid work environments, government distrust, the rise of podcasts and dying theatres and record stores closing down

During this time the political world became more divided, with content creators sharing their ideologies towards their fanbases on social media and deepening the divide between liberals and conservatives to boost their followers

We saw YouTube become the new television and now we are bombarded with unskippable ads and more spam calls than ever before

Cooped up in our homes while being forced to quarantine and social distance, these videos or “content” we consumed became an escape from a gloomy reality we were struggling to accept

You often hear people say they weren’t the same person that entered the pandemic

All the while our cellphones, our apps, kept updating and improving

Now these devices are operating at unprecedented speeds, effortlessly processing oceans of data and completing tasks more efficiently

We are basking in the golden age of technology and witnessing the breakneck speed of information and ever increasing popularity of social media

Particularly, Instagram and the obsession of

appearing cool and having an “aesthetic” and style that sets you apart from the rest and pretending to live as a celebrity

Now a photograph that would organically capture a moment has become exploited, filtered or polished to satisfy some personal idea

In the past, reporters and the radio were the main source of information for the public who had to verify facts before they were published

Now we are seeing accidents, traumatic videos of violence being shared at the push of a button and spreading like wildfire online

These videos are being shared and seen seemingly without consequence or any care to factcheck if this news truly occurred on this day nor if the contents are disturbing for viewers God forbid the graphic material enters the TikTok feed of a young person, reshaping their algorithm to ensure they’ll see similar content because they haven’t skipped the video in five seconds It’s as if social media has become a colourful zoo where visitors are gasping at graphic and upsetting material whilst being unable to peel their eyes from the screen like numb and overstimulated zombies

Now reporters must adapt to a world where research and patience are becoming relics of the past and they’re competing with endless videos being posted without being checked or edited for credibility

Like the word “fast food” means a quick, cheap and tasty meal, people can become irritated and impatient when this convenience doesn’t fulfil its promise and they waited 20 minutes for their hamburger

And yet after they’ve exhausted their lungs, once they’ve received their meal they’ll bite into the meat like some rabid hyaena, with little care to consider if the meat they’re chewing is truly the “100% pure bred beef’’ they paid for I think this is an apt way to describe why we should remember the importance of staying vigilant and distinguish between the truth and the lies being sold and packaged to us with colourful gift wrapping

NHW nominations close in a few days time

Entries for this year ’ s Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Awards will close on Friday 31 October

The annual awards celebrate outstanding achievements in community safety and neighbourhood support

Organisers are urging the public to submit their nominations urgently

The nominations can be done across a number of categories, for individual NHW members or teams/organisations

Nomination forms are available in English, IsiXhosa and Afrikaans – each nomination must be accompanied by supporting evidence, like social media or news clippings, affidavits and photographs among others

JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, said: “Our Neighbourhood Watches provide a visible presence and offer a sense of security and peace of mind to many of our residents The awards shine a light on their commitment and hard work They amplify the reach of the safety and security directorate, and this is an opportunity to show our appreciation and gratitude ” Smith said that people could nominate the same person or neighbourhood watch group for more than one category, but that a separate form should be submitted for each nomination The awards ceremony will take place at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Saturday 22 November

Artists give school a facelift

KAYLYNNEBANTOM

The exterior walls of Salt River High School received a vibrant makeover, thanks to a group of local artists eager to give back to the school

The five artists began painting on Saturday 11 October and completed the project the next day, creating a vibrant environment for teaching and learning, explained artist Chad Hanning, also known as “Bushy Wopp”

Hanning said he was approached by Margolite Williams, who has been actively involved in several upliftment projects at the school

“We had a meeting at the school where she and Melanie told me about the hardships the kids go through and how much positive art could make a difference around them I was completely on board ”

Hanning explained that without hesitation he called a group of artists to come on board

“I then gathered about four other artists to help me paint the school The other artists were Skubalisto, Motel 7, Ras Silas, and Aweh Migo ”

FUN,LIGHT-HEARTED ARTWORKS THROUGHOUT

the walls of the library, trauma room, and several other school facilities into vibrant works of art

“We created fun, light-hearted artworks throughout the school, including in the library This will be an ongoing project that I see myself and others involved in ”

He explained the project’s vision “The purpose of the project was to make a positive change for the kids at the school by beautifying the space so they can feel proud to be there and uplifted in their environment Our message is that art is powerful for healing and for making spaces feel more welcoming, inspiring, and full of possibility ”

School principal Donovan Nicholas said the wall art is a welcome addition

“I appreciate the work done by the artists It adds a splash of colour to a drab environment,”

Softball gives learners wings

Lt the tone for a vibrant mpetition and developt, this initiative is about ortunity, teaching iscipline and confidence rt, while providing a young players to dream im higher,” she says lice Youth Desk has tremendous assistance ng this league as they built relationships with hlone which allowed the tner with some of them em on board on this ve formation you can contact 244 0731 or email centralnion@gmail com

Wp year where Capetonians flock to Newlands and Boland Park for the SA20 cricket season, starting on Friday 26 December until Sunday 25 January next year

Thi is South Africa’s ultimate summer celebration and tickets are selling fast With world-class cricket, entertainment and lifestyle experiences

across six major cities, it’s shaping up to be an exciting time with fast bowling, cricket idols in action and family fun The momentum is building and now is the perfect time to spotlight this celebration of sport, style and summer fun

The Western Cape is spoiled with two teams participating in the competition, MI Cape Town at Newlands

p y ferent franchises, many of them have their roots in the Western Cape Some started their cricket careers at Boland of Western Province and were later contracted by other provinces where they thrived MI Cape Town are the defending champions and they’ll have a target on their back

Newlands Cricket Ground will host the final, with Kingsmead, Centuri-

y, g g one more opportunity to experience incredible cricket on Wednesday 21 January

Centurion is setting the stage for the Eliminator on Thursday 22 January and the Wanderers serving the decider of the second finalist with Qualifier 2 on Friday 23 January

All SA20 champions have been crowned in front of a capacity crowd and the League Commissioner

y p champions, says Smith The squad for MI Cape Town: Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Dan Lategan, George Linde, Tristan Luus, Tom Moores, Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jason Smith, Jacques Snyman, Dane Piedt, Dwaine Pretorius and Tiaan van Vuuren