VRYBURG – A heart-wrenching account shared by the mother of a Vryburg High School learner has sparked a wave of concern, following allegations of prolonged bullying and perceived inaction by the school. The story, which has gone viral on social media, alleges that a learner has been enduring sustained bullying since 2022 — leading to multiple suicide attempts, the most recent of which has left her hospitalized.

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The learner’s mother accuses the school of failing to act despite repeated reports. According to her, the bullying began in the classroom but evolved into online abuse through cyberbullying and group chats. Despite being placed in separate classes, the torment allegedly continued into 2025.

In an emotionally charged post, the mother writes, “We reported this to Vryburg High School multiple times, but they failed to act… It was only after my daughter’s older sister took the matter to social media that the school finally responded.”

She further alleges that the school’s assurances of action were contradicted just a day later when the alleged bully was seen participating in a school rugby match. “This is a typical example of how certain learners, especially rugby players, are protected no matter what they do — even at the cost of another child’s life,” she writes.

She also raised concerns about racial bias, questioning whether more urgency would have been shown if her daughter were white, claiming, “We reported this back in October 2024, but nothing happened.”

In response to the uproar, Vryburg High School issued an urgent statement on 3 August 2025, describing the situation as “extremely sensitive.” The statement confirms that the matter is under investigation and has been escalated to the acting circuit manager at the Department of Education. The school asserts that the accused learner was temporarily suspended from all school activities as a precaution and “did not, as alleged, play for any of the school’s rugby teams on 2 August.”

The school also strongly refuted claims of racism and cautioned against the spread of unverified social media posts, stating, “Both learners have a right to a fair and just handling of the matter.” The school appealed to the public to refrain from sharing unconfirmed allegations that could cause further harm.

However, the mother remains adamant that the school failed to protect her daughter in time. “We are now left comforting our daughter in hospital while also fighting for justice,” she said.

As the Department of Education continues its investigation, the incident has sparked broader debate on how schools handle bullying, the impact of cyberbullying on learners’ mental health, and whether sports culture sometimes shields learners from accountability.

Many in the Vryburg community have since rallied around the family, with hashtags like #StopBullying, #MentalHealthMatters, and #EndSchoolNegligence trending across local platforms.

Stay tuned for more news and updates. 

-The VIP Team 

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