South Africa's Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, has issued a compelling call for unity across political lines to combat the alarming surge in teenage pregnancies. In response to a distressing report revealing that 90,000 schoolgirls became pregnant this year, Zulu emphasized the need for a collective effort against this societal challenge. The report, presented to the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus, disclosed that 88,122 schoolgirls aged 15 to 19 and 2,328 girls aged 10 to 14 experienced pregnancies in the past year.
Zandile Majozi of the Inkatha Freedom Party urged swift police action against those responsible for sexually abusing young girls, some as young as 10. Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, Dipuo Peters, expressed shock at the prevalence of pregnancies among 10-year-olds, calling for intervention both within and outside school environments.
Zulu stressed the importance of collaboration among women from different political parties, urging joint efforts with families and communities. While acknowledging political differences, Zulu emphasized a shared responsibility to address the crisis, calling for a united front to protect children from sexual violence and early pregnancies. The report prompted calls for the South African Police Service to intervene, as officials expressed deep concern about the increasing number of teenage pregnancies and the need for strong legal action against adults involved in statutory rape
