Curro Westbrook Bullying Allegations Raise Serious Concerns for Parents

A Gqeberha mother has removed her daughter from Curro Westbrook and initiated legal action against the school, alleging that pupils subjected the teenager to relentless verbal and online bullying over more than a year. The case has renewed concerns among parents about how private schools handle bullying complaints — and what recourse families have when they feel ignored.

Curro Westbrook was approached for comment. The school's head of legal, Louis Booyse, confirmed the matter was being handled through legal representatives and that the school does not discuss issues related to current or former pupils with third parties. "Curro has extensive policies and legislative frameworks within which any form of bullying is managed," Booyse said. Curro Westbrook confirmed receiving the attorney's letter in June 2026 and said its legal department would be advising on the matter.

What Happened at Curro Westbrook

According to a report published by The Herald on 23 June 2026, the mother — who is not being named in order to protect her daughter's identity — removed the teenager from Curro Westbrook in February 2026. The learner has since been attending online schooling. The mother alleges the bullying, which involved both verbal and online harassment, began in 2024.

The family has since instructed Gqeberha attorney Bashier Moosa to pursue a damages claim against the school. In a letter addressed to the operational head of Curro Westbrook, Moosa alleged that the mother had raised the matter with the school on multiple occasions but was not satisfied with its response.

The letter, as reported by The Herald, alleged that "little to nothing has been done to reprimand the perpetrators but rather attempts were made to belittle the situation." It further alleged that the school's approach "did not support [the learner] or her mental situation in any manner."

The 44-year-old mother, a business owner and mother of two, said a psychologist ultimately advised her to remove her daughter from the school. She told The Herald that she had complained to the school after every incident, and that the most the school had done was issue warnings to the pupils involved — after she submitted screenshots of WhatsApp conversations as evidence.

"I wrote a letter to the principal and said he was giving power to people who were bullies," she said. On 4 February 2026, she alleges her daughter stood up for herself by asking the alleged bullies why she was being targeted, only to have a teacher intervene and reprimand her daughter for being disrespectful — after which the matter was escalated to the principal's office.

The mother said her daughter subsequently withdrew from friends and family. "She didn't speak to her sister or her father and she isolated herself for weeks before she was back to normal." While the details of the damages claim are still being finalised, the mother told The Herald that her primary goal was for the school to take responsibility for the trauma caused.

Why This Case Matters Beyond Curro Westbrook

The Curro Westbrook allegations come against the backdrop of a growing trend of bullying incidents across South Africa. Experts have warned that the digital environment has fundamentally changed how bullying operates, giving perpetrators the ability to target peers without physical confrontation — a dynamic that can embolden those responsible.

For many parents, the details of this case will feel familiar. Bullying rarely presents as a single incident. It can involve repeated teasing, exclusion, intimidation, WhatsApp group messages, social media attacks, and coordinated behaviour designed to make a child feel unsafe and isolated.

When schools appear to minimise complaints, issue warnings without further consequence, or place the burden of proof on the victim, families can feel powerless. In serious cases, removal from the school may feel like the only option.

Why Cyberbullying Is Especially Harmful

Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying does not stop when a learner leaves the school gates. Harassment can continue through WhatsApp groups, voice notes, screenshots, private messages and social media — at any hour of the day or night.

Professor Zukiswa Zingela, executive dean of health sciences at Nelson Mandela University, told The Herald that adolescence is a period when identity, belonging and social positioning are still actively developing, and that peer acceptance carries enormous emotional weight. The mental health effects can include anxiety, low mood, social withdrawal, disrupted sleep, difficulty concentrating, declining academic performance and, in more severe cases, trauma responses or thoughts of self-harm.

"Importantly, the impact is not determined only by what was said but also by frequency, power imbalance, public humiliation, social exclusion and the young person's perception of threat and isolation," Zingela said.

Education expert Professor Susan van Rensburg echoed this concern, noting that cyberbullying can occur around the clock and that victims often feel there is no safe haven. "Fake accounts or the physical distance of screens provide a false sense of security, allowing them to say things they wouldn't dare utter to someone's face," she told The Herald.

Warning signs that a child may be experiencing bullying include withdrawal, anxiety, sudden mood changes, reluctance to attend school, loss of interest in friendships or activities, and visible distress after using a phone or device.

For a broader overview of how bullying affects learners across South Africa, including the warning signs and practical steps for parents, read our full guide on school bullying in South Africa.

What the Law Says

Monet du Plessis, a lawyer at The Digital Law Company, told The Herald that she provides training on responsible social media use in schools across South Africa and that the digital landscape presents risks many parents and schools are not yet fully aware of.

She explained that bullying is generally understood as behaviour where the intention to cause harm becomes repeated or severe, particularly where there is a power imbalance. If the bullying occurs at school, or if its harmful effects are felt there, the school has a responsibility to intervene and act in line with its code of conduct and disciplinary processes.

Du Plessis also noted that threatening behaviour can constitute a criminal offence under the Cybercrimes Act, and that the distribution of screenshots from private chat groups may also be unlawful.

What Schools Are Required to Do

Schools have a legal and ethical duty to provide a safe learning environment. When a bullying complaint is received, parents should expect a clear and documented process. At a minimum, this should include:

• Taking the complaint seriously from the outset
• Recording the incidents and any evidence provided
• Interviewing all learners involved
• Protecting the child who reported the bullying from further targeting
• Communicating transparently with parents
• Applying the school's code of conduct fairly and consistently
• Providing appropriate emotional support
• Following up to confirm the behaviour has stopped

Advice for Parents

Professor Zingela told The Herald that one of the most important protective factors for children is maintaining a relationship in which they feel safe to speak openly about difficult experiences. Children often delay telling adults because they fear losing access to devices, being blamed, or being told to simply ignore the problem.

If your child is being bullied, keep a written record of every incident. Save screenshots, messages, dates, names, e-mails and meeting notes. Report the matter to the school in writing and request a formal response. If the school does not act, escalate to senior management, the school group's legal or compliance department, and, where appropriate, to the relevant education authorities.

Several experts also urged parents to review the security settings on their children's devices ahead of the upcoming school holidays, when increased screen time is expected.

If your child shows signs of sustained distress, withdrawal, or declining academic functioning, consider seeking professional support. A psychologist's assessment can help document the emotional impact and inform the next steps.

A Wider Question for Schools

The Curro Westbrook matter raises a broader question about how schools respond when parents report repeated bullying. Policies matter, but parents need to see those policies applied meaningfully in practice — not reduced to warnings that leave the affected learner no safer than before.

Every child deserves to feel safe at school. Every parent deserves to know that when they raise a serious concern, it will be properly investigated and not dismissed as ordinary conflict between learners.

As more families speak openly about their experiences, schools must demonstrate that they are prepared to listen, act, and protect vulnerable learners before lasting damage is done.

---

This article draws on reporting by Geoff Hookins published in The Herald on 23 June 2026, supplemented by general information about school bullying and cyberbullying in South Africa. No minor child is named or identified. All allegations reported here originate from the mother and her legal representatives. Curro and Curro Westbrook have been given the right of reply; Curro's response is included above.