Johannesburg - A website that offers payment for footage of school fights was condemned by the department of basic education on Thursday.
“We view this website as a vulgar glorification of violence,” spokeswoman Troy Martens said in a statement.
The website, schoolfights.co.za, invites people to submit videos: “Have a video of a school fight? It might be worth some money!”.
It contains videos of fights, including those tagged “Two SA schoolboys fight over a cheating girlfriend” and “You won’t BELIEVE what these Afrikaans girls do to their fat classmate!”.
On Thursday The Star carried a report on the website. Later in the day the website posted an announcement.
“Please note that we are unable to pay for fight videos involving minors! Fights between two or more consenting adults, however, will still be considered.”
Almost 1000 people have “liked” the website on Facebook.
Martens said: “Through this website and the Facebook page linked to it, learners are being incentivised to commit violent acts and encouraged to submit content.”
The department said it would report the website to the relevant authorities in an effort to get it shut down.
“Such acts should never be encouraged especially considering the efforts being taken by the department to address bullying and to rid our schools of violence.”
Sapa