Two weeks back, there was a disturbing incident where a 13-year-old student shot the principal of Primrose Primary School in Germiston. The chaos unfolded when the principal urged students to gather in the foyer and focus on their studies. Sadly, this isn't an isolated event. Just earlier this month, tragedy struck at Oakdale Secondary School in Ennerdale when a grade 8 student lost his life after being stabbed by a fellow learner. Adding to the distressing narrative, last Friday, reports emerged of six Grade 12 students from Nico Malan High School in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, being suspended due to allegations of sexual assault involving Grade 8 pupils. These distressing incidents reflect a disconcerting reality: schools in South Africa are increasingly becoming hotbeds of crime and violence. Such occurrences not only signal a moral decline and a lack of emotional intelligence among the youth but also highlight a broader societal discord regarding our collective responsibility in nurturing the future leaders of our nation. On today’s view of the nation, we aim to delve into the underlying disconnect within South African communities that has led to the normalisation of violence among young people—a trend seeping into every aspect of our society.          Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development Lumka Oliphant, Senior Lecturer at UJ's Department of Social Work and Community Development Dr Fatima Mmusi, CEO of Childline Dumisile Nala and Lecturer at UCT's Department of African Feminist Studies Dr Neziswa Titi join Lerato Mbele for the conversation.