It's time to take action

Triston Fortune, Westridge, Mitchell's Plain, child ambassador for the Western Cape and the deputy president for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Parliament of South Africa

My heart goes out to the learner and family affected by the recent incident at Milnerton High School.

No parent should ever have to see their child hurt, and no one should ever have to experience that kind of fear, especially in a place where we as children are meant to feel safe.

Bullying happens every single day in schools. It happens in whispers, excluding others, in threats, and sometimes it can escalate to violence that none of us wants to see.

Did it take a child being physically assaulted for five minutes straight on video for us to realize that this is happening right now, in our "safe" classrooms, corridors, and playgrounds?

This is not just one school's issue. It is a provincial, even national issue that is demanding real change. As the child ambassador of the Western Cape, I stand with the family and every learner who has ever experienced anything like this.

I am calling for transparent action, stronger protections and honest conversations that revolve around the culture that allows things like these to continue.

To the students who are suffering in silence: you are not alone, you are not weak, and you deserve to feel safe.

It's time to take action.