Durban - Matric revellers celebrating the end of their school careers at the Rage in uMhlanga and Ballito are doing so with plenty of condoms and “morning-after” contraception.
Pharmacies and convenience shops have seen more teenagers than usual buying condoms this week, but the number of them having unprotected sex has also risen.
Dave Fraser, of the uMhlanga Medisport pharmacy, said he stocked up for the Rage rush every year, making sure he had extra condoms to keep up with demand.
However, what concerned him was the number of teens not taking this precaution.
“We have always had higher condom sales this time of year, but the frightening thing is that they are now asking for the morning-after pill,” he said. “In fact, I have sold more of these than condoms.”
The owner of AlphaPharm East Coast Pharmacy said demand for the morning-after pill had tripled, going from about 20 a week to 60.
“I have ordered about 150 to 200 extra to cover the demand for this period… It is mostly girls who come in groups to get it, as they support each other. Guys come in on their own.”
He said the pharmacy did not sell the emergency contraception to men because in some cases it was forced on women who had been raped.
A locum pharmacist at City Gate Pharmacy in uMhlanga said she had also seen more youngsters, mostly girls, asking for the morning-after pill.
“We are also selling more condoms, with more popular brands often selling out and stocks needing replenishing.”
Other pharmacies in Ballito and uMhlanga said the demand for contraception would continue to increase after the Rage ended on Sunday and the festive holiday season began.
Ballito Service Centre supervisor Emmanuel Ndlela said the shop was selling at least double the amount of condoms it usually did, with partygoers seeking to buy them mostly at night.
The Mercury