A 17-year-old boy in the Eastern Cape who impregnated a 12-year-old child must face prosecution. The girl gave birth on New Year’s Day.
The province’s MEC for social development, Bukiwe Fanta, made this statement after her department was able to identify the newborn’s father.
Fanta stated that the MEC for health had notified her about the 12-year-old and that the matter needs to be handled as though it were a rape case.
“A due process of a rape must kick in. There is no other way. A crime is a crime, irrespective of who has done what,” Fanta said.
“A 12-year-old is a baby, and to sleep with a child is a crime in South Africa. We are expecting the justice system to kick in; whatever is necessary will be done.”
She went on to say that the department of social development wants the boy to be the target of the legal system.
“Come 18 years; the boy must have a criminal record; we want that record to carry on. she said.
New Year’s births
“We are aware that now he is still a juvenile, but that case needs to carry on until he is 18. Once you rape, you will never stop, so that record must remain with him.”
Ntandokazi Capa, the health MEC, found out about the preteen’s case while visiting the hospitals for the New Year’s births.
Capa stated that the minor gave birth in Frontier Hospital at Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown).
“It is just not acceptable. We know that as the province we have a challenge of teenage pregnancy, but this is really painful and shocking for us,” Capa said.
“As we welcome the new mothers, we want to also call upon parents to look after their children and play their role as parents.”
Over 650 babies were safely delivered in public health facilities nationwide on the first day of 2025, according to the Department of Health.
