Reality TV star Chirstall Kay visits SPARK Rivonia High to share her personal experiences with bullying and inspire students to focus on their goals despite challenges.
Image: Instagram
A recent school visit turned into a full‑circle moment for reality TV star and singer, Chirstall Kay, who has spent the past few months navigating public scrutiny and online bullying, and now, she’s using that experience to speak directly to young people facing the same thing.
Low-key, it’s giving “cool older sibling vibes”, the one who’s been through drama but still shows up to give solid advice.
The star visited SPARK Rivonia High, where she addressed learners about the realities of bullying and the importance of staying focused on personal goals and dreams.
While the images shared online showed smiling faces and a warm reception, the message behind them carried more weight than your average caption clipped with hearts and emojis.
In her Instagram post, she wrote: “It was so amazing to visit SPARK RIVONIA HIGH today to speak to learners about dealing with bullying.
Focus on your life and your goals and dreams! No one can take that from you, and no one can take away who you are. Leave those Bullies alone, be assertive, be strong, report it and get on with your beautiful life God gave you!”
Bullying remains a significant issue in South African schools, with more than 3.2 million learners experiencing bullying annually, and around 67 % of bullied students not reporting it because they believe it won’t make a difference.
Daily, about 160 000 learners skip school to avoid bullying, and roughly one in ten drop out entirely because of it. In many cases, cyberbullying affects learners too, with about 16 % reporting online harassment. These figures underline just how widespread the problem is in high schools across the country.
The visit comes after a period where she found herself at the centre of online criticism and real‑life reality TV drama, especially linked to her time on "The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa".
Viewers and netizens accused fellow cast members of targeting and bullying her during the Brazil‑filmed spinoff, with social media users and even other celebrities rallying in her defence online.
Episodes were so heated that a reunion was filmed to address the tension head-on. Kay openly shared that she felt “ostracised” and overwhelmed by the behaviour of some cast members, with online support from fans and fellow celebrities flooding her socials.
Instead of letting the noise define her, she appears to have flipped the script, turning her own experiences with conflict and criticism into teachable moments for young people facing bullying in their lives.