A video showing learners vaping inside a classroom at Mathede Secondary School in Murunwa Village has sparked outrage in the community and drawn sharp condemnation from individuals and organisations.
One of the organisations that has raised concern is the LoveNotGBV Ambassadors Movement, which has taken a firm stance on the matter following the emergence of the video, urging learners not to trade their future for smoke and short-lived trends.
LoveNotGBV national coordinator Mukona Basil Mudau responded strongly to the now-viral clip showing Grade 12 learners using vapes during class time. Mudau described the incident as deeply concerning, warning that substance use among learners threatens both their health and academic futures.
“Vaping is often seen as fashionable, but it carries serious risks — from addiction to long-term health complications. It also shifts focus away from education, which should be the top priority,” he said.
While condemning the behaviour, Mudau also cautioned against the continued circulation of the video, noting that it could have lasting consequences for the learners involved.
“We must correct behaviour without destroying dignity. Many of these learners are minors, and exposing them to public ridicule can lead to stress, depression and stigma that may follow them for years,” he added.
The movement has called on parents and guardians to play a more active role in their children’s lives. Mudau urged families to monitor behaviour closely and engage in open conversations about the dangers of vaping and peer pressure.
Concerns were also raised about supervision during school-related activities.
“Academic camps are important, but they must be properly managed. There should be strict monitoring to ensure learner safety and discipline at all times,” Mudau said, calling for an urgent review of conditions surrounding the incident.
Mudau emphasised the need for a balanced approach that includes both disciplinary action and support.
“Corrective measures must go hand in hand with counselling and psychosocial support to help learners realign with their goals,” he said. He further called for accountability from the School Management Team and School Governing Body to ensure that policies on learner conduct are effectively enforced.
Recent research points to growing concern about vaping in schools, with evidence suggesting it may also act as a gateway to more dangerous substances.
Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit, a pulmonologist at the University of Cape Town, co-led a national study published in The Lancet eClinicalMedicine based on about 25,000 high school learners across 52 schools. The research found that roughly 16.8% of learners vape, with usage rising to nearly 30% among some Grade 12 pupils. It also showed that a significant proportion of users display signs of nicotine addiction, including withdrawal symptoms such as cravings soon after waking.
The study warns that adolescent nicotine exposure can harm brain development, affecting attention, memory and learning, while also increasing the likelihood of future cigarette smoking and long-term respiratory and cardiovascular risks. Van Zyl-Smit has cautioned that vaping is not harmless, and that growing evidence is challenging the perception that it is a safe alternative to smoking.
Separately, Thabo Manne, President of NAPTOSA, has raised concerns from the education sector rather than academic research. Based on school-level experience, he says vaping is disrupting teaching and learning, contributing to discipline problems, absenteeism and classroom interruptions. He also argues that many schools are not adequately equipped to manage the growing prevalence of vaping among learners.
Together, the findings and education-sector concerns point to a growing vaping crisis in South African schools, combining both health risks and classroom disruption.
In reaction, Mathede Secondary School SGB chairperson Mr Johannes Mavhunga said the incident had caught them by surprise.
"As a school we are quite disappointed by the conduct of the learners. They might have taken it as a playful act but this tarnishes the image of the school. We have just been handed over the new school and this happens. As we speak now, we are with the learners trying to talk sense to them. We strongly believe this will never happen again," he said.