KZN health MEC Simelane calls for urgent action against older men impregnating girls
KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has issued an urgent call for an open and collaborative national dialogue to tackle the disturbing rise in child and teenage pregnancies, particularly those involving adult men.
Speaking at a meeting of the provincial council on Aids held in Durban, Simelane expressed deep concern about recent statistics showing thousands of teenage and child pregnancies in eThekwini municipality, including girls as young as 10.
'We are extremely worried about the high number of children who are falling pregnant,' said Simelane.
Her comments came in response to data shared during the Teenage Pregnancy Indaba hosted by the eThekwini municipality at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre.
The municipality revealed 7,627 cases of teenage pregnancy between April 2024 and April 2025. Even more alarming is that 154 of the pregnancies involved girls aged between 10 and 14.
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Teen moms avoid healthcare amid fears of reporting rape, discloses KZN health MEC
The health of teen moms and their babies hangs in the balance as young rape victims are too scared to access formal healthcare when giving birth. This was revealed by KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, who said this is owing to the laws compelling those in authority to report the rape. ALSO READ: KZN Health MEC places cervical cancer prevention in spotlight Speaking at a meeting of the Provincial Council on Aids in Durban last Thursday, Simelane expressed her deep concern over the growing number of teenage and child pregnancies, particularly those involving adult men. 'This issue is both a health crisis and a social justice emergency that requires urgent intervention,' she said. 'This puts young girls at high risk, especially when they are forced to give birth in unsafe conditions. South African law defines statutory rape as any sexual activity with a person under the age of 16, and makes the reporting of such cases to law enforcement mandatory.' Simelane believes that an urgent and collaborative dialogue involving parents, traditional leaders, civil society and the government is needed to decisively address this disturbing pattern. 'I want to make a proposal that we lead from the front in combatting this crisis. We need to come together and deal with this matter head on because these activities are happening right where we are. Children get pregnant in our societies in our communities. 'Unless we talk about it and act decisively, we will continue to see young lives destroyed. We are raising a broken generation if we remain silent.' Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Herald
5 days ago
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KZN health MEC Simelane calls for urgent action against older men impregnating girls
'This is not only a health crisis, it's a social justice emergency. Unless we talk about it and act decisively, we will continue to see young lives destroyed. We are raising a broken generation if we remain silent,' said Simelane. The MEC called for unity and decisive action, proposing that district mayors, amakhosi (traditional leaders) and izinduna (headmen) collaborate with government and civil society to confront the crisis. 'We need to come together and deal with this matter head-on because the activities are happening where we are. Children get pregnant in our societies, in our communities.' Simelane also highlighted the troubling pattern where victims, once pregnant, avoid healthcare services due to fear of exposing perpetrators, who are often adult men who are family breadwinners or protected by informal family agreements. 'What is more concerning is that some young victims stop accessing healthcare and social services once they realise we are legally required to report the perpetrators. This puts young girls at high risk, specially when they are forced to give birth in unsafe conditions.' Under law, any sexual activity with a person under the age of 16 is considered statutory rape. Clinics and hospitals are required to report such cases to law enforcement authorities.
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
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KZN health MEC Simelane calls for urgent action against older men impregnating girls
KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has issued an urgent call for an open and collaborative national dialogue to tackle the disturbing rise in child and teenage pregnancies, particularly those involving adult men. Speaking at a meeting of the provincial council on Aids held in Durban, Simelane expressed deep concern about recent statistics showing thousands of teenage and child pregnancies in eThekwini municipality, including girls as young as 10. 'We are extremely worried about the high number of children who are falling pregnant,' said Simelane. Her comments came in response to data shared during the Teenage Pregnancy Indaba hosted by the eThekwini municipality at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. The municipality revealed 7,627 cases of teenage pregnancy between April 2024 and April 2025. Even more alarming is that 154 of the pregnancies involved girls aged between 10 and 14.
