Pretoria – Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini says government took the right decision to outlaw corporal punishment as it violated children’s Constitutional rights not to be subjected to any form of violence or abuse.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister said government’s decision had also received the backing of the South African Human Rights Commission’s lawyers due to the “abusive” nature of corporal punishment.
The Minister’s statement was also responding to an article in the Star Newspaper, in which human rights lawyers reportedly said acts of corporate punishment were resurfacing in schools and that pupils were not treated as humans.
In some instances, pupils were subjected to eating faeces while in another, a girl was beaten up and forced to sleep with a teacher in the name of corporal punishment. These are cases that went unreported.
Minister Dlamini said corporal punishment is outlawed in public life – in schools, alternative care settings, including foster care settings and early childhood development centres – in order to prevent cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment of children by their teachers and caregivers.
“Children are impressionable and when those in positions of authority use violent means to encourage discipline, the children understand this as saying violence is permissible when trying to persuade others to act in a certain way. This is why we are going to forge ahead with banning corporal punishment even in the home environment,” the Minister said.
She said government took the decision to outlaw corporal punishment to protect children’s rights as well as break the cycle of violence in South African society. – SAnews.gov.za
