Latest news with #Letsike
The Citizen
19-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
SA teen pregnancy crisis: 90 000 pregnancies recorded in 2024
Of 90 000 pregnancies recorded in girls aged 10 to 19, more than 2 300 were among girls aged between 10 and 14. These numbers speak not only of a health crisis, but also a grave injustice against children forced to become mothers, stakeholders said at a meeting this week. Teenage pregnancies 'robbing girls of their future' Steve Letsike, Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, warns that these numbers poses a threat to South Africans. Letsike said the scourge of teenage pregnancy is not only a health concern but a threat to the nation's social and moral fibre and future prosperity. 'Teenage pregnancy is robbing too many of our girls of their childhood and their future, and it will take all of us working together to turn the tide,' Letsike said at a stakeholder engagement in Pretoria recently aimed at addressing the persistent ongoing scourge of teenage pregnancy. Not only a statistic but also a crime He said 2 328 girls younger between 10 and 14-years-old recorded pregnancies last year. 'To call this alarming would be an understatement. These are children, some barely in their teens, some not even teenagers, now forced into motherhood,' Letsike said. Letsike said a child as young as 10 becoming pregnant was not just a statistic but evidence of a profound societal failure and a horrific crime because a girl that young cannot legally give consent. 'This crisis threatens the very foundation of our social and economic development as teenage pregnancy poses a serious threat to the health, rights, education and socio-economic well-being of girls. 'When a young girl becomes a mother, her chances of finishing school plummet, her job prospects diminish, and she often becomes trapped in a cycle of poverty. 'In other words, today's teen pregnancy is tomorrow's poverty and inequality. We must recognise this as not only a public health issue but a social justice emergency,' the deputy minister said. Letsike said the high incidence of adolescent pregnancy in the country was interlinked with other scourges of HIV and other STI infection rates, child sexual abuse, statutory rape, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), poverty, educational exclusion, substance abuse and even toxic elements of popular culture. 'To craft effective solutions, we must honestly confront how and why so many young girls are getting pregnant,' Letsike said. Urgent response needed Deputy Minister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli said teenage pregnancy in South Africa has reached deeply concerning levels. 'These are not just numbers; they are a stark reflection of our socio-economic challenges and a call to action. Teenage pregnancy is more than a health crisis,' she said. Mhlauli said the response to teenage pregnancy must be urgent, coordinated and compassionate. 'Government cannot do this work alone. We need the support of all pillars of society, parents, faith leaders, educators, civil society, the media and the private sector,' she said. Pregnancies indicate inability to protect girls Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Board Asanda Luwaca said 'young girls are our sisters, our classmates, our cousins, our peers and children'. 'It is an indictment of our inability, as a collective, to fully protect the bodies, rights and dreams of girls, especially those from poor, rural and marginalised communities, especially differently abled,' she said. Luwaca said teenage pregnancy was not just about health, but injustice. 'It is about gender inequality, poverty, exploitation, broken family systems, absent accountability and a dangerous silence that protects perpetrators more than it protects girls. 'And until we confront these intersecting issues head-on with honesty, bravery and unflinching determination, we will continue to fail the young women of this nation. South Africa has the policies. We have the frameworks. What we need now is unapologetic implementation across every level of society,' Luwaca said. The engagement with stakeholders is part of an initiative to establish a Roadmap to South Africa's Teenage Pregnancy Prevention and Management Response. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
13-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Teenage pregnancy labelled a national crisis by deputy minister
Steve Letsike, deputy minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, has warned that teenage pregnancy is not only a health issue but also a threat to South Africa's social fabric and future prosperity. Speaking at a high-level stakeholder engagement in Pretoria, Letsike said there were over 90 000 pregnancies recorded among girls aged between 10 and 19 in 2024, with more than 2 300 of these cases involving girls between 10 and 14. 'To call this alarming would be an understatement. These are children, some barely in their teens, some not even teenagers, now forced into motherhood,' he said. He stressed that a child as young as 10 becoming pregnant was not just a statistic but a tragic societal failure and, in many cases, the result of criminal acts. 'This crisis threatens the foundation of our social and economic development. Teenage pregnancy poses a serious threat to the health, rights, education and socio-economic well-being of girls,' he said. The deputy minister explained that teen mothers are more likely to drop out of school, face reduced job prospects, and become trapped in poverty – a cycle that perpetuates inequality. 'In other words, today's teen pregnancy is tomorrow's poverty and inequality. We must recognise this as not only a public health issue but a social justice emergency.' Letsike added that the crisis is linked to a range of broader societal issues, including child sexual abuse, statutory rape, HIV and STI rates, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), poverty, substance abuse and harmful cultural narratives. 'To craft effective solutions, we must honestly confront how and why so many young girls are getting pregnant,' he said. Deputy ,inister in the Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli echoed these concerns, saying the numbers reflect deeper socio-economic issues and require an urgent, coordinated response. 'These are not just numbers. Teenage pregnancy is more than a health crisis – it's a national emergency. Government cannot do this work alone,' she said. Mhlauli called on all sectors of society, including parents, educators, faith-based organisations, civil society, media and the private sector, to unite in safeguarding the future of South Africa's children. Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency, Asanda Luwaca, also addressed the engagement, calling teenage pregnancy an injustice rooted in systemic failures. 'It is about gender inequality, poverty, exploitation, broken family systems, absent accountability and a dangerous silence that protects perpetrators more than it protects girls,' said Luwaca. She emphasised the importance of implementation, saying South Africa already has policies and frameworks in place. 'What we need now is unapologetic implementation across every level of society,' she said. The stakeholder engagement is part of a national initiative to establish a Roadmap to South Africa's Teenage Pregnancy Prevention and Management Response. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
G20: Civil society must make meaningful contributions in order to shape policy development
Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, urged civil society organisations to ensure their voices resonate in the lead-up to the G20 Summit set to take place later this year. Image: Filed Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike has called on civil society organisations represented at the C20 South Africa launch in Sandton to make sure their voices are heard. Letsike who delivered her message to the C20 South Africa launch virtually with a message directed at women, children and persons with disability said no one should be left behind in ensuring that South Africa's hosting of the G20 Summit later this year is a success. C20, which is a gathering of various civil society organisations across 14 working groups, tasked with developing policy proposals to be presented to government comes just over 23 weeks before South Africa is set to be the first African country to host the G20 Summit Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Women and gender equity, people to people interaction and solidarity, poverty alleviation and food sustainability, democratic governance, civic space, anti-corruption and access to justice-- are some of the key working groups tasked with policy development ahead of the summit. "I stand before you honoured that South Africa is set to host the G20 Summit later this year. For South Africa, this is not a box-ticking exercise. It is an opportunity to reshape the global landscape, and we must adopt a spirit of no G20 presidency is guided by strong principles, and we must leave no one behind in our bid to restore dignity of our people and be the moral centre of multilaterism. "We must be the dreamers and doers, not in abstract terms but in concrete terms and our dreams must be translated into concrete actions across all the working groups, "she said. Dr Mathole Motshekga during the feedback session of the C20 South Africa launch at The Capital on the Park in Sandton on Monday. Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers With an emphasis on inclusivity and gender equality, Letsike also called on the working groups to make meaningful contributions in order to shape policy development on the global stage. The C20, a collective of diverse civil society organisations based across 14 working groups, aims to develop policy proposals for submission to the government as South Africa gears up to host the G20 Summit. "The disability inclusion stream and all these working streams are not intended to be for box-ticking exercise as we believe that those closest to the pain must be the closest to power and the C20 South Africa must bring solutions that bring integrated response to these communities. "In essence, we must move from paper to power and ensure the tG20 budget is inclusive and leaves no one behind... We must track this budget and demand accountability on violence against children and women and ensure civil society is not consulted but co-governs," she said.
TimesLIVE
09-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'I remain a proud lesbian': deputy minister Mmapaseka Steve Letsike addresses gender identity controversy
Deputy minister for women, youth and persons with disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike has responded to social media users questioning her gender identity. The controversy arose after Letsike spoke out against podcaster MacGyver 'MacG' Mukwevho for making derogatory comments about media personality Minnie Dlamini. Mukwevho, in a recent podcast, suggested the reason Dlamini's partners left her was due to the unpleasant scent of her private parts. Letsike called for Mukwevho to appear before parliament and account for his utterances. She faced a public backlash, with some accusing her of prioritising certain issues. The criticism escalated into personal attacks, with some questioning her sexuality and gender identity. In a statement on X, Letsike affirmed her identity as a lesbian. 'I remain a proud lesbian woman even in times like these,' she said. 'I used to rush to defend myself against attacks or false accusations but now I watch to see who believes it. The deeper one dives, the more one discovers the rot in society. We don't give up, we continue to stand up for a just society.' Letsike has been open about her sexuality for years and is a known LGBTI activist. She married her wife Lucy in 2018 and the couple have a daughter.
The Citizen
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Parliament declines to summon MacG over ‘disgusting' utterances as Minnie Dlamini consults her lawyer
The Podcast & Chill host's remarks are 'unchecked freedom of speech'. Parliament has declined to summon podcast host MacGyver 'MacG' Mukwevho to explain his controversial comments about media personality Minnie Dlamini. Mukwevho has faced backlash for remarks made on his widely followed platform, Podcast & Chill, regarding Dlamini's relationship break-up. He made an inappropriate insinuation about her genital odour. Government slams MacG over Minnie Dlamini remarks The incident prompted Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka 'Steve' Letsike, to call on Parliament to summon Mukwevho. Letsike strongly condemned the remarks, describing them as misogynistic and vulgar. She further argued that the podcast host's repeated use of 'derogatory language' towards women was not only offensive, but constituted online gender-based violence (GBV). The deputy minister urged MultiChoice, which airs Podcast & Chill through a partnership, to take action against Mukwevho. ALSO READ: Parliament to summon MacG after comments about Minnie Dlamini She also indicated plans to refer the matter to the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), the South African Human Rights Commission, and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) for investigation. In addition, Letsike's department is considering filing a case of crimen injuria against Mukwevho with the South African Police Service (Saps). The controversy has reignited public debate on whether podcasts should be subject to regulation. Minister wants MacG summoned by Parliament In her presentation to Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Letsike defended her call to action, stating that Mukwevho's remarks reflected 'unchecked freedom of speech'. The deputy minister contended that his 'vile' and 'disgusting' utterances violated Dlamini's constitutional rights and undermined her dignity. She said the podcast host should be compelled to withdraw his statements. 'I will also refer this matter to the Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies and its department thereof to ramp up efforts towards regulation of online media platforms such as podcasts to ensure that the messaging on these platforms adhere to the constitution and other pieces of legislation that govern what is acceptable speech is our society as empowered by the right to freedom of expression,' Letsike said. READ MORE: Minnie Dlamini breaks silence following controversial MacG comments Letsike emphasised that Mukwevho's comments were 'soft violence' and contributed to the objectification of women's bodies, promoting sexism. 'We raise these issues sharply because Mr Mukwevho weighs considerable influence in South Africa's social discourse with a following of at least 1.5 million viewers subscribed to his YouTube channel.' She also stressed that the issue was not about cancel culture and revealed that Dlamini was consulting her legal counsel. 'She will inform us on her action if they do open a case.' Watch the meeting below: MPs deliberate Later, Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed their views on the request to summon Mukwevho. ANC MP Meagan Chauke-Adonis warned against politicising the issue, but stressed the importance of addressing it. 'Must there be physical bodily harm before this portfolio committee then responds and acts? 'This is something where once again we perpetuate a culture of cyberbullying, which we have been very silent on,' Chauke-Adonis said. ANC MP Maakgalake Pholwane supported the committee's involvement, while DA MP Angel Khanyile warned that summoning the podcast host would be an overreach. 'When I look at this case I do believe that Saps has a role to play. 'I do believe that there's a good chance of opening a case of crimen injuria and a civil claim as well, which I also believe may bring that apology,' Khanyile said. READ MORE: MacG's commenting goes beyond the bounds of free speech ActionSA MP Kgosi Letlape supported seeking a legal opinion on whether the committee could lay a criminal charge, a motion backed by Patriotic Alliance (PA) MP Jasmine Petersen. 'I feel this is a crime against all women and it should be tried in a court of law,' Letlape said. EFF MP Sihle Lonzi was critical of the deputy minister, accusing her of 'grandstanding', 'populism' and 'selective activism'. While acknowledging that Mukwevho's comments were 'distasteful', he questioned the mechanisms being used. Lonzi highlighted that institutions like the CGE, which falls under Letsike's department, are mandated to handle such matters. 'Have they failed to deliver on their mandates?' the EFF MP asked. Committee won't call MacG over Minnie Dlamini remarks Ultimately, the committee resolved not to summon Mukwevho. 'I think the majority of members are not in favour of us proceeding as the honorable minister, deputy minister had requested us to do,' the committee's chairperson Liezl van der Merwe said. She pointed out that Dlamini had not approached Parliament nor laid a criminal case. 'I think all of you have touched on this point that if we do decide it is our mandate to proceed with hearing one case of cyber-bullying, it would mean that this portfolio committee would have to extend that to every other person because they cannot be selective in choosing one case.' READ MORE: MacG says his partnership with MultiChoice is 'a natural evolution' despite it being criticised as a lazy move by the broadcaster Van der Merwe said the committee had limited capacity to handle such matters. 'There are other instruments that we can utilise,' she said, adding that a legal opinion would be sought. 'We will support your complaints, honourable deputy minister, to the BCCSA. We will also encourage you to finalise your discussions with Ms Dlamini and to encourage her to open a case with Saps and to follow due processes. 'We also will support the approach and the intervention to lay this matter or to send this matter as a complaint to the Commission for Gender Equality and we think that is the right approach,' Van der Merwe concluded.
