South African primary schools are facing a crisis. Every day, learners fight, bully, destroy property, and intimidate other learners and teachers, turning what should be safe spaces into places of fear and mistrust. Research shows that learner behaviour frequently involves violence, bullying and vandalism (damage to school property) that threatens the safety of both learners and staff. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is in conversation with Senior Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood Education and Development at UNISA.