A Gauteng school has distanced itself from a video circulating on social media showing pupils participating in a Spring Day tradition where they splash water on each other to celebrate the new season. 

The informal tradition, particularly associated with South African townships, sees young people taking to the streets to splash or throw water at one another and, in some cases, unsuspecting passers-by.

While it is often regarded as harmless fun marking the end of winter, it has also sparked concerns about water wastage, road safety and people being subjected to unwanted attention. 

In the post shared on Facebook, the school was identified as Alexandra High School. The video shows learners seemingly out of control, throwing chairs at one another and using fire extinguishers to spray foam around a block of classrooms.

Misleading video recirculated 

According to Alex News, the video was originally posted on X on September 2, 2022.  

The four-year-old clip was recirculated recently without its original date context, leading many users and media outlets to believe it shows a current event. 

School governing body head Kagaso Nkosi says they had no incidents at the school.  

“We have been busy with teaching and examinations. The video could be an old one or possibly AI-generated,” he adds.  

Tragic Spring Day incident 

In a separate incident, Tshepang Nyathi (21), who was celebrating Spring Day by splashing water at passers-by in Refilwe, Cullinan, was stabbed, allegedly by a man who refused to play along. 

The Pretoria Rekord reported that Nyathi died on his way to the hospital and the man was arrested and charged with murder. 

Department raises concerns over water waste 

The Department of Water and Sanitation has raised concerns over the seasonal tradition. 

“In a country where communities continue to experience water challenges, deliberately wasting water for entertainment is concerning and highlights the need for a change in how water is valued and used,” says the department. 

The department adds that the concern is even more pressing as South Africa anticipates the effects of El Niño, which can bring higher temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and drier conditions in parts of the country. 

Responsible water usage 

“These conditions can place additional pressure on already limited water resources and make responsible water use even more important,” it says. 

The department also raised concerns about reports of people being humiliated and intimidated during Spring Day celebrations. 

“Celebration should never mean forcing another person to participate in an activity against their will or subjecting them to conduct that compromises their dignity or safety,” the department says. 

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