By Charmaine Ndlela
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has told learner leaders to reject hatred and division amid tensions over foreign nationals, saying the youth must have the courage to protect people from violence.
“In our country at the moment, we are facing unprecedented levels of violence towards undocumented immigrants. And in rejecting cynicism and rejecting some of the divisions, we need young people who are ready and have the courage to say, let us protect people at all costs. Let us not allow ourselves to be consumed by hate, by division,” she said.
“Let us commit to a different country that says, I may not share your background, but here you are safe, at least safe from violence, where you will not be treated less than human. Because that’s not who we are as a country.”
She was speaking at the 2026 National Representative Council of Learners (RCL) Leadership Summit in Benoni, Gauteng, on Wednesday.
Gwarube said learner leaders had a responsibility to help build safer and more inclusive schools and communities.
The three-day summit, held under the theme Born of Resilience, driven by purpose: leading the future of learning, brought together learner representatives from across the country to engage with policymakers, education officials and youth leaders on issues affecting young people.
Reflecting on the Legacy of 1976 and the Role of today’s youth, Gwarube said every generation faces its own challenges and has a responsibility to respond to them.
“Your generation faces levels of bullying in schools, faces violence in communities. You face the dangers of substance abuse, gangsterism and gender-based violence. You face the pressures of social media, cyberbullying and online hate, misinformation and division. These challenges may look significantly different from those faced by youth of 1976, but they are no less important,” Gwarube said.
She said these challenges require young people who are prepared to lead. Emphasising that representative council of learners is so important.
She stressed that the RCL position is not just a badge, or a title, but saving others.
The minister said learner leadership was not about status or popularity, but about serving others and standing up for vulnerable learners.
“The true test of leadership is not how many followers you have on TikTok. The true test of leadership is how you use your influence to improve the lives of others,” she said.
Gwarube expressed concern about bullying and violence in schools, describing them as serious issues that negatively affect learners’ wellbeing and academic success.
“Bullying is not harmless. Its not a joke, It destroys confidence, damages mental health and robs learners of their sense of belonging,” she said.
She urged RCL members to take practical steps when they return to their schools, including identifying learners who may be isolated, strengthening reporting mechanisms and working with teachers and school management teams to promote learner safety.
“Every learner deserves to walk through the school gates feeling safe, feeling valued, and every learner deserves dignity. As learner leaders, you have a unique responsibility in this regard because you often see what teachers cannot see, you know who is being neglected, and you know who is struggling in silence, so leadership means refusing to look away, it means speaking up when others remain silent,” Gwarube said.
She said the Department of Basic Education continues to prioritise school safety through partnerships with the South African Police Service and the implementation of the Safe Schools Protocol.
“We are strengthening school safety, improving collaboration with local police stations, tackling bullying, violence, gangsterism, and substance abuse. We are making sure that our schools are places of learning and hope.”
However, she stressed that policies alone cannot create safe learning environments.
“The safest schools are not those with fences and security guards. The safest schools are those where learners choose to care for one another,” she said.
Gwarube encouraged young people to reject corruption, violence, prejudice and discrimination, saying democracy requires every generation to actively protect and strengthen it.
Gwarube concluded by encouraging learner leaders to lead with courage, compassion and integrity, reminding them that South Africa’s future rests in the hands of its youth.
“The future of South Africa is not waiting somewhere in the distance, the future of South Africa is already here, it is sitting in this room and ready to lead and i have faith in each and every one of you that you are going to answer the call of leadership, of service, of building a better country because South Africa is certainly worth fighting for,” she said.
INSIDE EDUCATION
