EMPD Officer Forces Katlehong Pupils to Do Push-Ups and Squats for Spring Day Water Pouring

• An EMPD officer was filmed disciplining pupils outside Ponego Secondary School in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, during Spring Day
• The students, who reportedly poured water on people during Spring Day celebrations, were made to do push-ups and squats on a public street
• The video went viral as South Africans debated the limits of Spring Day celebrations following a stabbing in Cullinan, Tshwane

EKURHULENI — A video showing an Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officer disciplining a group of school pupils outside Ponego Secondary School in Katlehong has sparked heated debate online following its circulation on 2 or 3 September 2026.

The footage, filmed on a public street near the school's entrance, shows uniformed students being made to perform push-ups and squats by an officer dressed in militaristic attire, with a marked police vehicle visible in the background. The pupils had reportedly poured water on members of the public during Spring Day celebrations, a practice that has become increasingly contentious in South Africa.

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Spring Day controversy fuels public debate

The clip went viral against the backdrop of a wider national conversation about the boundaries of Spring Day traditions. Tensions around the annual occasion reached a peak after a man from Cullinan, Tshwane, was arrested for allegedly stabbing a 21-year-old following an altercation when a group attempted to pour water over him without his consent.

Watch the JMPD officer disciplining pupils outside Ponego Secondary School:

South Africans divided over the discipline method

Reactions on social media were mixed, with some users endorsing the intervention and others questioning whether physical exercise served as an adequate deterrent.

@Mphora10 suggested an escalated consequence, writing:

"They should get them to carry those 20-litre buckets of water on their heads, run up and down that street, until they cry."

@MR_K_R_B disagreed with the approach, arguing:

"This is not punishment, but an exercise. Nothing learnt from this, they must go back to the people they terrorized and apologise, then community work, clean the streets, community halls, pick up papers, do gardens every Saturday for a month."

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@MuVoningi directed criticism at parents:

"Parents need to take at least 2 minutes of their precious time to tell children what is good and what is wrong. Life has a funny way of filling the void. If you don't teach them, someone else will do the teaching, and it normally ends in tears."

@yangamshwe questioned the selective nature of the behaviour, writing:

"I'm yet to see a video where they woke up and splashed their own parents with water. Are their parents made of ice?"

@frans_bongani expressed approval:

"Very good, they won't practice that hooliganism again."

The EMPD had not issued an official statement regarding the officer's conduct at the time of publication.

Taxi driver chases Spring Day pranksters

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the viral video of a taxi driver chasing young water pranksters during Spring Day celebrations in South Africa. The driver, visibly outraged by the unexpected soaking, has sparked a debate on the boundaries of fun and respect for elders amidst the festive chaos.

Source: Briefly News