A 12-year-old girl is among the mothers who gave birth on New Year’s Day at hospitals across the country.
Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta visited Cecilia Makhiwane and Bhisho hospitals on New Year’s Day. She said: “The perpetrator who impregnated a 12-year-old [girl] must be found and jailed. Whoever impregnates children, no matter who it is, is going to be jailed. We must stop this victimisation of children.”
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane reported that four 16-year-old girls gave birth who were impregnated by a boy aged 16 and three men aged 20, 21, and 22 respectively.
Two 17-year-olds and four 18-year-olds were also among the mothers.
“Once again, we are alarmed by these revelations because these girls were all about a year younger when they fell pregnant.
“We are worried because when children or young girls fall pregnant, their lives are never the same. In fact, conceiving at an early age poses significant health risks for the young mother and her unborn baby,” said Simelane.