In contemporary South Africa, the abolition of corporal punishment symbolizes a break with the previous schooling system. A qualitative study in four formerly segregated schools south of Johannesburg showcases different realities and discourses on corporal punishment. The practices vary from its total abolition to its continued maintenance. Most learners in a Soweto-based school justify its use to maintain discipline in a hostile environment. Adding to conventional perspectives on the abolition of corporal punishment, a comprehensive approach provides a contextualized understanding of its function in the eyes of the school community, and reveals complex links between corporal punishment and a practice of care. (Contains 5 endnotes.)