KwaZulu-Natal’s premier has disclosed startling data regarding adolescent pregnancies in the province, stating that 26 515 teenagers became pregnant between April and December 2024, with 1 254 of them being under the age of 14.
These startling disclosures were made by Thamsanqa Ntuli on Tuesday in Gamalakhe, outside Port Shepstone on the south coast, where he unveiled a multi-sectoral plan to combat the scourge between now and 2029.
To the surprise of those attending the launch, Ntuli disclosed: “The statistics of teenage pregnancy in the province are shocking; between April and December last year, 26 515 teenagers fell pregnant, and most shockingly, 1 254 of them were under the age of 14.”
Multifaceted approach needed
Ntuli emphasised that the problem requires a multifaceted approach because a 12-year-old’s pregnancy is not a personal failure but rather a social failure.
“Let me be clear, KwaZulu-Natal cannot develop into the prosperous province we know it can be if we do not address the twin scourges of HIV and child pregnancy,” Ntuli said.
“Why? A young girl who becomes pregnant faces a drastically increased risk of contracting HIV, leading to a devastating intersection of poor health, interrupted education, and lost potential. This issue robs our young people of their childhood and their future.
“It fuels a cycle of poverty and poor health that passes from one generation to the next. Let us be frank: when a 12-year-old child becomes a mother, it is not a personal failure; it is our collective failure. It indicates that society is failing to protect its most vulnerable members.”
Role of law enforcement agencies
Ntuli further stated that law enforcement agencies should take action against older men who impregnate young girls to combat teenage pregnancy.
“Therefore our stance in fighting the scourge of child and teenage pregnancy must be twofold, and it must be uncompromising. First, we must take a firm stand to protect, support, and empower young people.
“We must provide them the knowledge, the services, and the opportunities to prevent unplanned pregnancies and to pursue their dreams.
“Second, we must take an equally frank and fearless stance against the perpetrators. Those who prey on our children must know that they will face the full, unrelenting might of the law.
“There can be no hiding place and no forgiveness for those who steal a child’s future.”
