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In the previous century, many black learners were victims of political and socio- cultural crises by being used as pawns in the South African political arena (Bezuidenhout and Joubert, 2003:19). The government enforced segregation, based on race, to keep the different race groups isolated. This was manifest in the establishment of separate departments of Education for so-called “Coloured”, “Indian”, “Bantu” and “White” learners. Education for the different races was marked by extreme inequalities such as different financial allocations per learner of the different race groups (Kallaway, 2002:2). Protests against the injustices of segregated educational conditions available to learners from the different race groups were rife during the years 1976 to 1984. According to Maree (2003:62), young black high school learners were seen as the barometer of systematic marginalisation and powerlessness under the apartheid regime. Many schools in the townships became the sites of a highly politicised struggle. Violence in such schools was socially approved by the surrounding communities.

Under the previous political dispensation, “White”, “Bantu” and “Coloured” Education shared a ferocious commitment to corporal punishment. The majority of black educators, even into the late 1990’s, were largely underqualified and must therefore often have felt pedagogically insecure. Learners exposed and exploited the limitations of their educators, while educators made vigorous use of corporal punishment to control their learners. The learners themselves steadily became more disenchanted with schooling and increasingly rebellious and scornful of educators (Kallaway, 2002:234).

Although directives from the National Department of Education prescribed the means of discipline to be applied, corporal punishment was widely abused by school principals and educators in general. This may possibly also be ascribed to the lack of monitoring of the administering of punishment in schools on the part of the Department of Education, in spite of the clear guidelines given in this

regard. Depending on the severity of the offence, discipline to miscreant learners could vary from verbal and written warnings to corporal punishment. The guidelines on corporal punishment captured in Regulation 704 of 1990 of the Department of Education and Culture, House of Assembly (Badenhorst, 1991:196) inter alia stipulated that:

“Corporal punishment should be administered to learners only:

• on account of neglect of duty or disobedience, recalcitrance (rebellion), willful damage to property, theft, dishonesty, lying, assault, bullying, indecency, truancy or any other misconduct of a serious nature ;

• after the guilt of a learner has been proved to the satisfaction of the principal in a full inquiry during which the learner shall be afforded the opportunity to state his case;

• by the principal or a person authorized to in writing, or by another educator in the presence of the principle or the said authorized person; • in the office of the principal or a place indicated by him, or in the

absences of the principal, in the office of the educator in control of the school or a place indicated by him;

• on the buttocks with normal attire, with a cane or smooth stick and to a maximum of five strokes; and

• with consideration of the age and physical condition of the learner”

Very few principals and educators adhered to the abovementioned regulations, rendering school discipline harsh and often cruel, with physical beatings a regular occurrence. Corporal punishment served to instill unquestioning conformity and regimented order in schools as learning institutions (Kallaway, 2002).

Equality in education for all was a rally cry during the apartheid regime, and South African schools became simmering cauldrons of resistance, usually with the condonation of parents and the surrounding community.

Sadly, more than fifteen years after the abolishment of apartheid and the cessation of the political struggle, violence, crime and extreme undisciplined behaviour still exist in many South African schools. Also, the snail’s pace of transformation resulted in little change in the classroom itself. Conditions at certain public schools still create the impression of segregation and marginalization. Some public schools are still overcrowded, lack enough skilled educators, and do not have resources like science laboratory equipment. Learners are therefore often still deprived of quality education, a situation that may provoke antisocial behaviour and criminal activities geared at their own schools.

Being marginalized and receiving an inferior education could create a low self- esteem and feelings of uselessness and hopelessness in learners. Their low self-esteem is often the reason why learners misbehave and engage in more serious acts of crime. Such learners take no pride in themselves or make no effort to improve their future prospects. They display little or no regard or respect for other people’s possessions and, even more alarming, take no responsibility for their actions and show little concern for the consequences.

Harsh corporal punishment just does not seem to bring about the desired attitudinal change in most learners. The question arise why corporal punishment has apparently failed. According to Northmore and Potterton (2003:5-6), there are a number of reasons why corporal punishment does not work. The most important reason is that corporal punishment stops bad behaviour only momentarily and does not always encourage good behaviour. In fact, learners often welcome corporal punishment as a means to win prestige among their peers with a good caning becoming a symbol of status. Furthermore, educators often use corporal punishment to discourage behaviour that is merely irritating and annoying rather than restricting it to cases of serious misconduct.

As a result, corporal punishment does not encourage self-discipline or thoughtful behaviour, but rather creates resentment and hostility and makes the establishment of positive relationships between educators and learners difficult.

Learners observe that adults resort to violence to solve problems and this example increases the likelihood that they will emulate such behaviour in trying to solve problems.