How Many Accidents Happen on School Playgrounds in South Africa?

Ian Lewin
Jan 28
3 min read

Playgrounds should be spaces filled with laughter, joy and active play — but for many children in South Africa, these spaces can also be sites of serious injuries and risk. Despite schools doing their best to supervise students, accidents on playgrounds are common and sometimes severe.

Playground accidents in South African schools are more common than many realise. We explore the numbers, risks, and how schools can improve safety. — safe play does not happen by accident

Understanding the Scale: What the Data Tells Us

Accurate, up-to-date national statistics specific to school playground accidents in South Africa are limited. However, we do have credible data on where children are most likely to be injured:

Injury Location Breakdown

A comprehensive South African child injury report found that for children aged 5 to 12, about:
- 13% of injuries occur at school, and
- 12% occur on the playground specifically.

This means roughly 1 in 8 childhood injuries reported in that study happened on the school playground — a significant portion considering how frequently children use these areas.

Estimated Annual Numbers

Industry sources estimate that across South Africa there are around 40 000 playground injuries each year that lead to hospital visits.

These injuries can range from:

minor scrapes and bumps,
to sprains and fractures,
to more serious trauma requiring medical attention or even hospitalization.

Unfortunately, many of these injuries happen before classes even begin or after school hours, when supervision is thinner but playground use remains high.

Types of Playground Accidents

Common causes of playground injuries include:

Falls from equipment — slides, monkey bars, climbing frames and swings are frequent sources of falls.
Trips and slips — uneven surfaces and worn ground materials cause children to fall and bump heads or limbs.
Collisions and impact — running children can bump into others or stationary structures.

National safety guidelines, such as the South African National Standards (SANS 51171 series), recommend specific surface materials and equipment design criteria to minimize these injury risks — but compliance is inconsistent across schools.

Playground Safety: Why It Matters

These numbers are more than statistics — every injury represents a child whose day ended in pain, fear, or a hospital visit. For parents, teachers and school administrators, this highlights the importance of proactive safety measures:

Conducting regular equipment inspections.
Ensuring impact-absorbing surfaces under climbing and swing areas.
Training staff and supervisors to watch high-risk zones.
Enforcing age-appropriate use of equipment.

Beyond Playgrounds — School Safety at Large

While this blog focuses on playground injuries, it’s worth noting that children in South Africa also face risks outside the playground. For example, tragic school transport accidents occur too — such as a recent school bus collision in Gauteng that resulted in multiple fatalities.

This underscores a broader public health challenge: schools and communities must work together to keep children safe in every environment, from the classroom and playground to transport and home.

Conclusion

Playgrounds are vital for childhood development — but they must be safe.

In South Africa, an estimated 40 000 playground injuries occur each year, with playgrounds contributing a notable share of school-related injuries.

By increasing safety awareness, improving compliance with standards, and supporting better supervision, we can help ensure that our children’s play remains joyful — not injurious.