A group of teenagers linked to the shocking bullying incident at Milnerton High School appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalilia said the teenagers face charges of assault to cause grievous bodily harm.
He said the State would not be opposing bail.
The matter will resume at 2pm.
Police confirmed that the suspects, aged between 17 and 18, were charged following a video that went viral of an assault on a pupil at Milnerton High.
The disturbing footage emerged a few days ago showing a 16-year-old boy being beaten, slapped, and humiliated by a group of learners, allegedly from Milnerton High School’s rugby first team.
The incident reportedly took place on October 16, shortly after school hours, on or near school grounds.
The video sparked national outrage and led to strong criticism of the school’s handling of bullying complaints.
The pupils have been suspended from school.
In response, the Western Cape Education Department confirmed that eight learners were suspended pending disciplinary hearings, and support services had been offered to those affected.
Tensions escalated yesterday when parents protested outside Milnerton High School, accusing the school of failing to protect learners and allegedly ignoring previous complaints of bullying.
Some parents claimed their children had also been targeted in violent incidents that were recorded and circulated among pupils, with little to no action taken by school authorities.
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