It is more than a decade since corporal punishment has been outlawed in South African schools. However, there is significant evidence suggesting that some teachers still use corporal punishment and even those who do not, are in favour of the practice. This proposed study seeks to employ a Vygotskian Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as a theoretical and methodological approach, to understand the connection between human psychological processes and the use of as corporal punishment by teachers. A qualitative research approach, with the use of ethnographic observations and interviews as research method will be used at a primary school in a semi-rural province of Mpumalanga in South Africa. Teachers, parents and learners as members of the community will be participants in the study to highlight the CHAT perspective of corporal punishment as a cultural tool. These multiple participants as well as triangulation of methods will ensure validity of the results.