The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has called for immediate intervention following the shocking assault of nine young people at Milnerton High School, allegedly by six top-performing school rugby players.

He has also engaged the South African Rugby Union (SARU) to determine the correct way forward, while acknowledging that rugby at school level is managed by the Department of Basic Education, and not SARU.

The incident, which has captured national attention through circulated video footage and media reports, includes heartbreaking details such as one of the 16-year-old victims being a recent cancer survivor. Minister McKenzie has expressed deep concern over the event, highlighting how it underscores a toxic culture in some schools where privileged rugby players may feel “untouchable” and exempt from accountability for egregious behaviour.

“This hurts us all, and we need to do everything in our power to ensure that the sport of rugby promotes a culture of protecting the vulnerable,” said Minister McKenzie. “Our Springboks have become heroes in the eyes of our people, and all rugby players must be inculcated with the culture that they too are heroes and should act like heroes.”

The Minister emphasised that rugby should serve as a vehicle for young athletes to channel controlled physicality within the sport, while fostering values that combat gender-based violence, bullying, and oppression. He called for decisive action to send a clear message that bullying has no place in schools and that sports stars must be held to a higher standard of accountability, not granted protection.

Reports indicate the perpetrators are up-and-coming stars in provincial and national ranks. In his letter to SARU President Mark Alexander and CEO Rian Oberholzer, Minister McKenzie requested that SARU intervene, however possible, stressing the importance of reforming the players to prevent further harm, while acknowledging the value of second chances.

“This need not be the end of their lives or their careers, because no one knows the value and importance of second chances more than I do,” Minister McKenzie noted. “However, these players must be shown the error of the path they are on. They must be reformed before they hurt someone else even more, and before even more harm is caused to the sport of rugby.”

Added the Minister: “It is time that we address the root cause of a rugby culture in some schools that serves as an enabler for abuse. We need to be clearer about instilling stronger and more powerful values of defence and service in the hearts of our most gifted sporting sons,” he added.

During his engagements with SARU President Mark Alexander, however, SARU made it clear that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the education department.

Said Mr Alexander: “I am confident that both the school and the department will take the sternest possible view once all the facts have been established.”

He advised the Minister that SARU had been concerned about school rugby for decades, including matters of schoolboy sports doping.

Although the incident did not take place in a rugby environment, SARU undertook to:

• Review the eligibility and conduct of implicated players within their development and representative pathways.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to reinforce values-based education in rugby programmes, especially at school level.
• Initiate dialogue with the Departments of Sport and Education to address the broader cultural issues the Minister had rightly identified.

For media enquiries:

Ms. Stacey-Lee Khojane, Spokesperson: Office of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
Email: StaceyK@dsac.gov.za 
Cell: +27 77 608 7579

Ms Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communication and Marketing: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Email: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za 
Cell: +27 72 172 8925

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