The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa affirms the right to freedom and security as well as the right to education for the people of South Africa as enshrined in The Bill of Rights. However, there is violation of those rights as a result of bullying, school-based violence and corporal punishment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the causes of school violence and the role of stakeholders where violence is prevalent in primary and secondary schools around Ramotshere Moiloa Sub District. Effective strategies to prevent the scourge from increasing such as taking all stakeholders on board with regard to school’s code of conduct, motivational talks and engaging South African police services and chieftainship were identified. The problem that was researched was the impact of violence in schools and how it affected learner performance and teachers’ approaches and methods of teaching. Data was collected from two primaries and two secondary schools where school violence was prevalent, qualitatively following semi structured interviews which were conducted to principals, Departmental Heads and Life Orientation teachers. Data was collected from 12 participants through open ended questions that triggered open communications. This was a way of digging deeper in getting an understanding of how school violence shaped the relationship between learners, teachers and other stakeholders. Sampled schools were referred to as school A, school B, school C and school D. Pseudonyms were used to protect the identity of participants and to make them comfortable when addressing issues of violence at their respective schools. The trustworthiness of the study was measured by its credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Disputes turning into physical fights, lack of parental involvement, corporal punishment, bullying, drugs and substance abuse were found to be the cause of fear and paranoia in all schools where semi structured interviews were conducted. The study further recommended all stakeholders to work as a cohesive unit in curbing violence in schools.

Keywords: Freedom and security, school-based violence, Ramotshere Moiloa Sub District, Chieftainship, The Bill of Rights.