Durban - A 12-year-old from Ndwedwe is among the 9 135 pupils reported pregnant in KwaZulu-Natal schools in the past year.
The pupil was impregnated by a 33-year-old man, who allegedly paid a goat to her family as payment for “damages”.
“The family has accepted the goat. They were comfortable with that and the pupil was not at school and was staying with the man,” Education MEC, Mthandeni Ndlungwane, told the legislature.
Ndlungwane, who confirmed a case had been opened and the man arrested, made the startling disclosure when the department briefed the education portfolio committee on a programme called My Life, My Future.
It is aimed at discouraging pupils from dropping out of school and tackling social ills such as teen pregnancies and substance abuse.
The programme also seeks to increase knowledge on HIV prevention.
A report tabled to the committee showed that Ugu, Umkhanyakude and uMlazi districts had the worst pupil pregnancy statistics in the province, with 1 200, 1 089 and 1 018 respectively.
Umgungundlovu district had the fewest, 275, followed by Sisonke and Ilembe, with 510 and 538.
The report showed there had been a decrease in pupil pregnancies of 1 078 in the province, from 10 213 in 2014 to last year’s 9 135.
However it noted that the figures were based on disclosures by the pupils.
“There is a possibility many cases are not reported.”
Statistics South Africa findings seem to strongly support this. Since 2011 it has recorded an increase in teenage pregnancy in South Africa.
“The prevalence noted in KZN is part of a national trend,” the report to the committee said.
The StatsSA survey found 68 000 pregnancy cases in the country in 2011, 81 000 in 2012 and 99 000 in 2013.
“When you look at these figures, they are scary,” Ndlungwane said.
He said it was of utmost importance pupils were protected from social ills and his department was committed to doing that.
“If we are not intervening and dealing with these issues, we are to lose the best of the learners,” he said.
Ndlungwane said his department planned to follow up on pupil pregnancy cases to establish who was involved.
ANC MPL, Jomo Sibiya, said “it has become a culture for young girls to get pregnant” and there were no consequences. He said teachers sometimes got off scott free after impregnating pupils.
ANC MPL and chief whip, Nontembeko Boyce, said the department should introduce an enforceable programme aimed at helping pupils stay away from social ills.
Committee chairwoman, Linda Hlongwa, said the My Life, My Future programme should continue at schools in light of the ballooning figures.
Daily News