KZN pupils suspended from school following viral Tik Tok challenge

Durban: Metro police were on high alert this week after a TikTok dance challenge by some high school pupils turned dangerous.

Several videos have gone viral on social media of pupils participating in a new craze - the TikTok #SchoolbagChallenge. The challenge uses the Amapiano song Umlando (which means history in English) by artists TOSS, 9umba and Mdoovar.

Initially, the pupils swopped their school bags for other unconventional items, including cooler boxes, prams, trolleys and shopping bags.

They were then challenged to dance on school property during their lunch breaks. In the videos, some of the boys wore women’s clothing.

But Since Friday, pupils at some schools have taken the challenge to extreme levels on the streets of Chatsworth, Phoenix, Newlands West, Reservoir Hills, Verulam and Pietermaritzburg. They blocked off roads and clamoured around cars and taxis while being videoed for social media.

One Chatsworth resident, who was caught up in the mayhem for about 20 minutes on Friday, said he felt angry and disappointed.

The man, 42, who declined to be named, was on his way to pick up his daughter at a primary school when a mob of high school pupils surrounded his R700 000 sports car.

“While driving towards my daughter’s school I heard shouting but I could not see what was happening. When I got to the bottom of the road, I saw about 200 high school pupils at the corner of roads 706 and 745 in Montford. They blocked the road and were dancing and shouting.”

He said as he drove cautiously towards them, they moved to the roadside as if to allow him to pass. But when he neared them, they surrounded his car.

“They repeatedly beat their fists against the car. I hooted at them and tried to drive slowly, hoping they would disperse but they did not. Instead, they continued to hit my vehicle’s bonnet, doors, windows and roof. Some even kicked my vehicle. It took about 20 minutes to get away from them.”

The man said he later found out about the challenge.

“What is happening is unacceptable. This was not a dance challenge but hooliganism. I have reported the incident to the school and was told they would take action.”

’Planned’

A principal at a Chatsworth high school said that on Friday he was inundated with calls from concerned residents.

“It looked like the entire affair was planned. Some of the pupils wore caps and sunglasses, while a handful of male pupils wore dresses or skirts. They danced on the road, even on taxis and cars, as they made their way to another school for a dance battle. This resulted in traffic congestion, and residents were scared. I had to explain to them that it was a TikTok challenge,” he said.

The principal said cellphones were prohibited at the school but were allowed during the pandemic in case of emergencies.

He said the pupils were told at the school's assembly on Monday to refrain from participating in the potentially dangerous challenge.

The principal at Woodlands Secondary, in Pietermaritzburg, Andrew Moodley, said a video of the challenge was recorded at the school during a lunch break on Friday. He said it lasted a few minutes and was posted on TikTok.

It showed a group of boys dancing before others joined in. The boys, from grades 10 to 12, have been identified and their parents notified. Moodley sent a notice to parents to not allow their children to participate in the challenge.

The principal of Dr AD Lazarus Secondary in Reservoir Hills sent a circular to parents on Monday. This was after pupils from the school were videoed jumping onto a moving vehicle near the Reservoir Hills Mall.

The letter said that despite addressing the pupils in the assembly that day, they continued with the challenge. The principal said if pupils were caught engaging in the challenges, they would be dealt with as per the school’s code of conduct.

This week, there were also reports of pupils from high schools in Phoenix and Verulam who participated in the challenge.

A Phoenix principal said he sent a notice to parents to inform them that they would not tolerate this behaviour. A staff member at a school in Verulam said he notified the police after pupils began jumping on taxis and other vehicles.

“I don't want the children to be knocked or attacked because of a social media trend.”

Suspensions

Vee Gani, the chairperson of the Parents Association KZN, said: “These pupils have no concept of the gravity of their behaviour and the consequences. While looking for popularity and acceptance, they are not realising that they and others can be seriously injured or even die."

Muzi Mahlambi, spokesperson for the KZN Department of Education, said: “It is disturbing and worrying that instead of learning, pupils are doing these videos. I have seen some pupils standing on rooftops of school buildings and holding on to wiper blades of vehicles. This is a danger not only to themselves but to others.”

He said several pupils had been suspended for participating in the challenge.

“This is a social activity and we can’t deal with this matter alone. We need help. We appeal to parents to talk to their children. We also appeal to pupils to stop this before we start losing lives.”

A police officer, who declined to be named, said: “On Friday, things started getting out of hand. Following reports of pupils protesting on the roads, my unit was called to a school in Shallcross. While on our way, we were radioed and informed that pupils at another nearby school were stoning and jumping on vehicles. We put on the sirens and proceeded there first.”

He said about 200 pupils were on the road and they scattered when they heard the vehicle’s siren.

“Pupils and parents don’t seem to realise the danger and what the perpetrators could face. This is malicious damage to property. The offending pupil and their parents as guardians can be charged. Do you really want to risk your school career and having a criminal record for a TikTok challenge?”

Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad, a Durban Metro police spokesperson, said: “We have been called out to maintain law and order in various parts of eThekwini, but mainly the Chatsworth and Phoenix areas. We are extremely concerned about this challenge. We are only able to provide police visibility in an attempt to disperse the large groups of minors.

“We do expect more of the challenges to be done in other areas over the next couple of days. Therefore our road safety unit will be engaging with the Department of Education to find a way forward in dealing with this behaviour.”

A provincial spokesperson for SAPS, Thembeka Mbele, said SAPS had become aware of the challenge this week after pupils from different schools in Phoenix became unruly.

“They embarked on rebellious behaviour by illegally gathering in groups, stoning vehicles, disrupting school, and damaging school property ... At 12pm they decided to move to Woodview Park, chanting and running around with sticks in the park.”

She said police were called to disperse them.

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