Boys, Bullying and Belonging: Understanding Violent Initiation at a South African School
Social initiation rituals at schools can normalize violence as a way for boys to negotiate power and identity. Violence among students in South African schools remains a serious issue. In 2025, the Minister of Basic Education reported to parliament that hundreds of bullying cases were recorded in just the first weeks of the year. Since then, several alarming events have heightened public concern.
These incidents reflect the country's high rates of violence but also reveal deeper systemic problems within South African schools. In 2015, the government launched the National School Safety Framework to establish minimum safety standards and clarify schools' responsibilities. This framework recognized “the relationship between violence and other ecological factors relating to safe and caring schools by locating the school within its broader community.”
The framework highlights the importance of understanding structural causes of violence in schools. However, the persistent increase in interpersonal violence among learners demands renewed focus, particularly on violence involving schoolboys.
As researchers interested in the anthropology of masculinities, health, inclusive education, and children's geographies, we studied a school practice called ukufikisana. This initiation involves senior boys asserting dominance over juniors, frequently through violence and intimidation.
“The relationship between violence and other ecological factors relating to safe and caring schools by locating the school within its broader community.”
Author’s summary: Persistent school violence, particularly through violent initiation like ukufikisana, reflects deep-rooted social and structural issues in South African education requiring urgent attention.