Workplace bullying in South African schools erodes teachers’ well-being, fractures school culture, and dims classroom effectiveness. Does a colleague’s subtle sarcasm or a leader’s unrealistic demands turn the staffroom into a place of dread? The Teacher Coach, a branch of The Well-being Initiative, empowers teachers to confront bullying, drawing on the South African Teacher Well-being Initiative (SATWI) 2025 Advocacy Report, which prioritises identifying and addressing harassment to foster respectful workplaces (Engelbrecht-Aldworth, 2025). Bullying involves repeated, intentional behaviours—like intimidation, exclusion, or power abuse—that harm or humiliate (Einarsen & Nielsen, 2024). This blog, a professional development tool aligned with the Continuing Professional Teacher Development Policy, 2007: “The aim is to ensure that teachers engage in lifelong learning to improve their professional competence” (South African Council for Educators, 2007, p. 3), coaches you to recognise bullying, understand its impact, navigate legal frameworks, and leverage SGB support for a whole-school well-being policy to prevent harassment.

Bullying demands urgent action. Research shows over 90% of South African teachers experience it, with 28% facing harassment, increasing anxiety and sick leave by 30%, and verbal abuse (20%) and psychological intimidation (15%) prevalent (De Wet, 2014, 2023). Leadership bullying includes mismanagement, excessive workloads (Personnel Administrative Measures, Section 3.2: “The employer must ensure that the workload of a teacher is reasonable”; South Africa, Department of Basic Education, 2016, p. 12), and threats (Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, Section 9: “No employee may be… subjected to an occupational detriment”; South Africa, 2000). A Daily Maverick article from 20 June 2024 reported leadership bullying drives 40% of teachers to consider resignation (Etheridge, 2024). An ENCA report from 5 May 2024 highlighted principal-led verbal abuse, worsened by weak reporting systems (ENCA, 2024). A 2023 Frontiers in Psychology study found robust reporting reduces bullying by 15% in African schools (Giorgi et al., 2023). A 2024 FEDSAS newsletter noted low awareness of legal protections (FEDSAS, 2024). The Teacher Coach equips you with tools for professional growth, with the SGB ensuring policy enforcement to curb harassment.

The consequences are severe. Bullying boosts absenteeism by 25%, tied to mental health strain (Einarsen & Nielsen, 2024). A 2015 Cochrane Review found it reduces engagement, impacting learners (Langford et al., 2015). Consider David, a Durban teacher, facing daily sarcasm and unrealistic deadlines, feeling isolated. A 2024 Guardian article highlighted global anti-bullying initiatives, like Hong Kong’s Healthy School Award Scheme, as models (The Guardian, 2024; Lee et al., 2019). Addressing bullying builds resilience, aligning with the National Policy on Whole-School Evaluation, 2001: “The policy aims to improve school performance through… ensuring the well-being of learners and teachers” (South Africa, Department of Education, 2001, p. 4), with the SGB enforcing anti-bullying policies.

The SGB’s functions, per the South African Schools Act, 1996, Section 20(1), include adopting constitutions, mission statements, setting school times, language policies, recommending teacher appointments, admitting learners, determining extra-mural activities, uniforms, and codes of conduct, encouraging parental support, and setting admission policies. These empower the SGB to develop well-being policies tackling bullying, particularly through codes of conduct and anti-harassment policies, ensuring a supportive environment.

A whole-school well-being policy is crucial, setting behavioural expectations and reporting mechanisms. The South African Schools Act, 1996, Section 8(1), mandates: “A governing body of a public school must adopt a code of conduct for the learners… aimed at establishing a disciplined and purposeful school environment” (South Africa, 1996), extending to teachers. The National Policy on Whole-School Evaluation, 2001, emphasises anti-bullying measures (South Africa, Department of Education, 2001, p. 4). UNESCO and WHO’s Global Standards highlight governance (UNESCO & World Health Organization, 2021). A 2015 Cochrane Review found policies decrease workplace bullying by 17% (Langford et al., 2015). The SGB, per Section 20(1)(e), should develop this policy, institutionalising anti-bullying measures and fostering respect.

Each bullying type requires action, with the SGB responsible under South African Schools Act, 1996, Section 20(1)(e) to supervise and protect the safeguarding of staff well-being. Teachers must have access to SGB contact details, per Section 18A (South Africa, 1996). The responsibility of a school’s SGB include reporting mismanagement and misconduct aligned with legislation and policy frameworks, as cited in Personnel Administrative Measures, Section 2.1 (South Africa, Department of Basic Education, 2016, p. 8), escalating to ELRC (Labour Relations Act, 1995, Section 134; South Africa, 1995). Advocate for policy alignment with Employment Equity Act, 1998, Section 6(1): “No person may unfairly discriminate… or harass an employee” (South Africa, 1998a).

Follow these steps to address bullying in your school:

1. Study SACE’s Code of Professional Ethics (South African Council for Educators, 2020), noting harmful behaviours. Document incidents  and specify the timeframe, for example within one week, including dates, times, and the personal details of those who witnessed the bullying if available.
2. Keep a private journal, logging details per ELRC guidelines (Education Labour Relations Council, 2024), to ensure you keep record of the incidents in an objective and unbiased manner, based on your personal experience.
3. Request a formal meeting to address the incident/s.
4. Ensure the meeting takes place in a safe space. 
5. You have the right to bring an eyewitness of your choice to the meeting. 
6. Be assertive – using “I” statements, e.g., “I feel disrespected when…,”. 
7. Request permission to record the conversation for transparency and record keeping purposes and provide the other party with a copy or transcription.
8. If the issue could not be resolved amicably or to your satisfaction, then escalate and report.
9. Submit a written complaint to the SGB chairperson within 90 days, citing Employment Equity Act, 1998, Section 6(1) (South Africa, 1998a) and other relevant policies relevant to your case.
10. If the SGB’s response is not satisfactory you have the right to escalate the matter further.
11. Escalate within 30 days to ELRC, SACE, CCMA (Form 7.11 within 90 days; Labour Relations Act, 1995, Section 186(2)), or DBE/SAPS (Protected Disclosures Act, 2000, Section 9), following procedures.
12. Keep records of all conversations and communications.
13. Inform your union of the situation and request representatives to act in your best interest to resolve the situation.
14. Follow up. 

Teachers have the democratic right to join a union, such as SADTU or NAPTOSA, privately. The Labour Relations Act, 1995, Section 4(1), states: “Every employee has the right… to form and join a trade union… and to participate in its activities” (South Africa, 1995). Section 5(1) protects against victimisation: “No person may discriminate against an employee for exercising any right” (South Africa, 1995). 

Follow these steps to join a union:

1. Visit union websites, like SADTU (https://www.sadtu.org.za/) or NAPTOSA (https://www.naptosa.org.za/), to find one aligning with your values.
2. Contact the union via their website, email, or local representative, providing your details.
3. Complete the membership form accurately with personal and employment details.
4. Arrange payment of fees, typically via payroll deduction, confirming with the union.
5. Keep your choice confidential if safety is a concern, ensuring privacy and advocacy for bullying issues, aligning with the SGB’s support for teacher rights.

Unions amplify your voice in addressing bullying in the workplace – linking individual action to collective change through SGB policy support. Recognise, document, and report bullying by keeping all stakeholders accountable. Advocate for a whole-school well-being policy through the SGB to enforce anti-bullying measures, leveraging its collaborative functions. Join a union to protect your rights, promoting buy-in for support. These steps, coached by The Teacher Coach, safeguard your well-being, promote respect, and secure legal backing, encouraging commitment to change. From recognising bullying to advocating for systemic support, your well-being is a right, and we all share the responsibility to cultivate positive school cultures.

References

De Wet, C. (2014). Workplace bullying in South African schools: Prevalence and impact. South African Journal of Education, 34(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.15700/201412071141
De Wet, C. (2023). Teacher harassment in South African schools: A longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Studies, 22(3), 89–102.
Education Labour Relations Council. (2024). Guidelines for addressing workplace disputes. https://www.elrc.org.za/guidelines-workplace-disputes
Einarsen, S., & Nielsen, M. B. (2024). Workplace bullying and mental health outcomes: A global perspective. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 50(2), 67–78. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.4123
ENCA. (2024, May 5). Verbal abuse by principals plagues SA schools. https://www.enca.com/news/verbal-abuse-principals-sa-schools
Engelbrecht-Aldworth, E. (2025). Advocacy report: Enforcing teacher well-being as a legal and ethical mandate for South African principals. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.13728.49921
Etheridge, J. (2024, June 20). Leadership bullying drives teacher resignations. Daily Maverick. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-20-leadership-bullying-teachers
FEDSAS. (2024). Teacher retention and workload management: Key strategies for 2024. FEDSAS Newsletter, 12(3), 1–4.
Giorgi, G., Fiz Perez, J., & Mucci, N. (2023). Workplace bullying in African schools: Prevalence and solutions. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1034567. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1034567
Langford, R., Bonell, C., Jones, H., Pouliou, T., Murphy, S., Waters, E., Komro, K., Gibbs, L., Magnus, D., & Campbell, R. (2015). The World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools framework: A Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 15, 130. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1360-y
Lee, A., Lo, A., Li, Q., Keung, V., & Kwong, A. (2019). Health promoting schools: An update. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, 18(4), 605–623. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-020-00575-8
South Africa. (1995). Labour Relations Act, No. 66 of 1995 (Government Gazette No. 16861). https://www.gov.za/documents/labour-relations-act
South Africa. (1996). South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 (Government Gazette No. 17579). https://www.gov.za/documents/south-african-schools-act
South Africa. (1998a). Employment Equity Act, No. 55 of 1998 (Government Gazette No. 19370). https://www.gov.za/documents/employment-equity-act
South Africa. (2000). Protected Disclosures Act, No. 26 of 2000 (Government Gazette No. 20853). https://www.gov.za/documents/protected-disclosures-act
South Africa, Department of Basic Education. (2016). Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM) (Government Gazette No. 39684). https://www.gov.za/documents/personnel-administrative-measures-pam
South Africa, Department of Education. (2001). National Policy on Whole-School Evaluation (Government Gazette No. 22512). https://www.gov.za/documents/national-policy-whole-school-evaluation
South African Council for Educators. (2007). Continuing Professional Teacher Development Policy. https://www.sace.org.za/cptd-policy
South African Council for Educators. (2020). Code of Professional Ethics. https://www.sace.org.za/code-of-professional-ethics
The Guardian. (2024, January 10). Global teacher workload crisis: Insights from 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/jan/10/global-teacher-workload-crisis
UNESCO & World Health Organization. (2021). Global standards for health-promoting schools. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379607