Several Alexandra Secondary School learners in Johannesburg have been suspended after an incident during lunch on Thursday.

A video clip shows a learner dragging a large cooking pot outside and the contents being spilled out. Other learners can be seen purposefully throwing food onto the walkway, while some appear to be attempting to escape the chaos, with their lunch clutched in their hands.

It went viral on social media platforms.

There were chaotic scenes at Alexandra High School on Thurs when some learners stormed the school kitchen, demanding that they didn’t want to eat phuthu and maas on the day. Learners stormed into the kitchen, took the pots full of food, & started throwing it all over the premises pic.twitter.com/ZrrdcTMDHD

— Scrolla Africa (@ScrollaAfrica) January 27, 2023

The Gauteng Department of Education said in a statement that the clip ‘sparked numerous false reports’.

“According to an official report, learners had to queue in the order of their grades to receive lunch. The lunch that was being served was uPhuthu and milk, which is the learners’ favourite meal. Given the excitement for the meal of the day, some learners became impatient in the queues. They allegedly began pushing and shoving other learners, causing a ruckus in the queues and disturbing those who were being served,” the statement reads.

The department adds that senior learners then ‘grabbed the pot of food and dragged it away to dish up for themselves’.

“In the process, the food that was meant to benefit other learners was spilled out, and further commotion was incited,” the statement explains.

The department says the main culprits were identified the next morning, using surveillance footage at the school.

These learners have since been suspended pending an ongoing disciplinary hearing.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane says he is disappointed by the behaviour displayed by the learners who destroyed food meant for learners who depend on receiving a nutritious meal each day at school.

“The School Nutrition Programme plays a vital role in the well-being of our learners. As such, it must be treated with respect and remembered as an initiative that is meant to benefit all learners equally,” he adds.