A plenitude of media and research reports suggest that aggressive behaviour amongst the youth is becoming more confrontational, violent and common place. Factors spawning violence in schools are numerous and complex and include socio-economic and political inequities. This study not only reflects on the nature and scope of violence in schools, but focuses specifically on teachers as victims of violence. A broad based definition of violence has been used to include both insidious and physical forms of violence against teachers. In the first phase of data collection, the quantitative method was used to gather information via questionnaires. In the second phase, narrative stories were developed from semi-structured interviews using the qualitative methodology. Both these methodologies have been used in a complementary manner to give depth and enhance the meaning of the data. The analysis indicates that the prominence and pervasiveness of violence against teachers is staggering. The absence of effective structures, mechanisms and policies to stem the tide of violence has further aggravated the problem. The potential for conflict within the school context is underpinned by tension created by transient values. The youth do not have a core set of values that give direction to the decisions that they make. The consequence of this gap is unpacked in the "Core Values-Vacuum (CV2) Theory" that has been proposed in an attempt to understand violence in schools. The study concludes with the idea that there is no single factor that can explain violence in schools. However, the major causes and impact of violence identified provides a foundation for the conceptualisation of future safety and security initiatives in schools. / Theses (Ph.D.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This explorative study investigated bullying in a sample of schools in Lesotho from the learner’s perspective. A review of the existing literature formed the basis for the offered description of the phenomenon. The work examined concise definitions of bullying, school violence, victim and bully. The research described various forms of bullying, reason for and possible intervention strategies. The quantitative research method was applied, which included an analysis of the data obtained from a questionnaire containing 33 close-ended questions divided into six sections: general information; observation of bullying; experience of bullying; impact of bullying; participation in bullying activities and reasons for bullying and measures against it. The questionnaires were distributed among 1 373 learners from Lesotho public schools which were used for the study. The research was brought to a conclusive end with a proposal for school bullying intervention strategies in Lesotho public schools. / Criminology / M.A. (Criminology)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns the state and violence in the Western Cape. This study was undertaken because the Western Cape has since 1996 been plagued by violence, including bombings, assassinations and violent protests. In particular these violent incidents have been labeled as terrorism or urban terrorism. The South African government does however not have a definition or a policy promulgated into law regarding terrorism. Very little progress has been in apprehending the person(s) and or group(s) responsible for these incidents of violence. The study therefore looked at violence in the Western Cape in an exploratory way. The aim of the paper was to (1) find credible appropriate definitions of terrorism, (2) to identify possible role players in violence, (3) to establish a chronology of violent events, (4) to identify the frequency, distribution and patterns of violence, (5) analyse the communication of events. An underlying theme throughout the paper is the weak state in which violence is a cause, consequence, and indicator of the weak state. The violence-plagued Western Cape is the geographical focus of the study. The paper looks at three incidents of violence, representative of the types of violence that have taken place in the Western Cape. The bombing of the Planet Hollywood restaurant, the killing of policeman Bennie Lategan and the killing of gangster Neville Herold are the cases discussed by in paper. For the purpose of the paper, the period of interest is the transitional period of the 1980's to 1994. The period under study is August 1998 to December 1999. After careful consideration of all the information the following conclusions where reached. The killing of Bennie Lategan is a terrorist act while the killing of Neville Herold and the Planet Hollywood bomb blast are not terrorist acts according to the definition used by this paper. PAGAD emerged as the major role player involved in violence. The organization is also complex and multidimensional with various groupings within the organization. The weak policing and justice systems are among the factors contributing to violence. The propositions and theories suggested by this study are based on current information and therefore speculative. Should more information become available these propositions may need to be revisited. Continual research on this topic is therefore important. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie gaan oor geweld in the Wes Kaap. Die studie was nodig omdat die Wes Kaap sedert 1996 geteister word deur geweld, insluitende bomplanting, sluipmoorde en geweldadige protesaksie. Hierdie geweldige insidente is bestempel as terrorisme of stedelike geweld. Die Suid Afrikaanse regeering het egter nie 'n definisie of beleid oor terrorisme nie. Baie min persone of groepe verantwoordelik vir geweld is voorgekeer. Hierdie studie gaan dus oor geweld in die Wes Kaap. Die doel van hierdie studie was (1) om 'n definisie van terrorisme, georganiseerde misdaad, geweld, vigilantisme en Islamietiese Fundamentalisme te vind, (2) om moontlike deelneemers van geweld te identifiseer, (3) om 'n kronologie van geweld op te stel, (4) Sekere patrone van geweld te identifiseer, en om te studeer wat hierdie insidente aan ander kommunikeer? 'n Onderligende tema, in die studie is die swak staat waarin geweld 'n oorsaak, gevolg en aanduiding is van die swak staat is. Die Wes-Kaap is die geografiese fokus van die studie. Die studie kyk na drie insidente van geweld wat alle tipe geweld in die Wes Kaap verteenwoordig. Die bomontploffing van die Planet Hollywood restaurant, die moord van polisieman Bennie Lategan en bende leier Neville Herold is die gevalle wat bespreek word in die studie. Vir die doel van die studie is die tydperk van die 1980' s tot 1994 van belang. Die tydperk onder bestudering is Agustus 1998 to January 1999. Na oorweging van al die informasie is die volgende gevolgtrekkings gemaak. Die Planet Hollywood ontploffing en die moord op Neville Herold is nie terroriste dade nie, maar die moord op Bennie Lategan is 'n terroriste daad. PAGAD kom te voorskyn as die grootse deelnemer in geweld. Die organisasie is kompleks en het veelvuldige dimensies met verskeie groepe binne die organisasie. Swak polisieering en die regstelsel is onder die faktore wat bydra tot geweld. Die voorstellings en teorië wat voorgestel in die studie, is gebaseer op huidige informasie en daarom is dit spekulatief. Indien meer inligting beskikbaar gemaak word sal die afleidings en voorstelle hersien moet word. Voordurende navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp is daarom nootsaaklik.

This explorative study investigated bullying in a sample of schools in Lesotho from the learner’s perspective. A review of the existing literature formed the basis for the offered description of the phenomenon. The work examined concise definitions of bullying, school violence, victim and bully. The research described various forms of bullying, reason for and possible intervention strategies. The quantitative research method was applied, which included an analysis of the data obtained from a questionnaire containing 33 close-ended questions divided into six sections: general information; observation of bullying; experience of bullying; impact of bullying; participation in bullying activities and reasons for bullying and measures against it. The questionnaires were distributed among 1 373 learners from Lesotho public schools which were used for the study. The research was brought to a conclusive end with a proposal for school bullying intervention strategies in Lesotho public schools. / Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminology)