Lufuno Mavhunga is the latest name added to the registry of South African pupils who have fallen victim to the traumatising horrors of bullying in schools.
What happened to Lufuno Mavhunga?
A video clip that’s gone viral has become the central focus on the reason why Mavhunga, a pupil from Mbilwi Secondary School in Sibasa, may have taken her own life.
In a humiliating showing, Mavhunga was seen cornered by a number of girls from her school. She tried to reason with the group but was quickly silenced by repeated slaps in the face.
Adding insult to the horrific ordeal, cheers from onlookers who left Mavhunga in the lurch were heard in the clips. It took a few blows for someone in the crowd to come to their senses and intervene in what must have been a humiliating experience for the teen.
What will happen to the bullies?
Sadly, a day later, it was reported that Mavhunga had taken her own life after enduring countless experiences, much like the humiliation she suffered in this viral clip.
This girl Lufuno was bullied yesterday at mbilwi high school and she later committed suicide after the incident. #JusticeForLufuno pic.twitter.com/pplCvwR4Re
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) April 13, 2021
If Mavhunga’s decision to take her own life was the direct result of ongoing bullying from a group of her peers, are they culpable?
The majority of the outrage seen on social media supports the latter. However, at the time this article was published, Limpopo police had not issued a statement on the matter.
The alleged bullies identified in the viral video have since been blasted on social media. One of them, it’s reported, has since published an apology which was resoundingly rejected by the general public.
Those involved in the bullying have not been arrested.
Here are a few reactions from the ‘Justice for Lufuno’ hashtag that’s topped the trends list:
There must be #JusticeForLufuno. This is a parents worst nightmare. It’s heartbreaking.
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) April 13, 2021
I hope that the minister of basic education visits the school and the family while she is on her Limpopo oversight.
No school in our nation should entertain bullying in any shape or form. pic.twitter.com/YAGBL3dTTq
Teach your children to be kind, all the time.
— ♣☆» TheGreatDlamini «☆♣ (@Phislash) April 13, 2021
You could save lives in future. #JusticeForLufuno pic.twitter.com/Yd5gF5pq2P
she was one of my biggest supporters, she always kept a postive energy from the first day we started talking, she always made sure i kept going RIP Lufono #JusticeForLufuno pic.twitter.com/q3vUNDzcJ9
— ♱. ™♱ (@sewa__abrahams) April 13, 2021