Vaal University of Technology’s (VUT) Campus Clinic Health successfully hosted an impactful anti-bullying workshop, titled Combatting Bullying Within Higher Learning, at the Centre for Academic Development’s African Languages Auditorium on October 8.
The workshop addressed the pervasive issue of bullying, both among students and within workplace environments, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and intervention in higher education institutions.
Advocate Refilwe Manaka, founder of the Manaka Foundation, underscored bullying in universities and colleges as a growing concern that significantly undermines academic success and the overall well-being of students.
She described bullying as encompassing harassment, discrimination, intimidation, and cyberbullying.
“Many victims suffer from functional depression; while they may seem outwardly normal, they struggle emotionally, leading to fatigue, low motivation, anxiety, and often poor academic performance or dropout,” she said.
Following her address, a dynamic panel discussion engaged attendees in exploring the barriers to reporting bullying incidents and collaboratively designing effective solutions.
The panel highlighted a frequent challenge faced by individuals who are both staff members and students, who are bullied by supervisors to whom they are expected to report.
Responding to this, Letsholonyana Aaron Matlaletsa, a warrant officer from the South African Police Service, emphasised the necessity for educational institutions to conduct regular awareness programmes, emphasising that bullying is a crime with no exceptions or categories.
Advocate Manaka proposed several strategies to combat bullying in the workplace, including the development and enforcement of clear, collectively written and approved anti-bullying policies.
She also recommended implementing team-building workshops aimed at building trust, fostering motivation, and improving communication by understanding individual personalities and social dynamics within teams.
Rihlampfu Miehleketo, Life Branch Chairperson of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), further stressed that the abuse of power and acts of sabotage significantly contribute to anxiety and reduced productivity in the workplace.
They now plan to identify and train “student and workplace building champions” who will act as dedicated advocates for anti-bullying initiatives.a
