Kimberley - “Don’t take my baby.”
This was a plea made on Wednesday by many young mothers in Kimberley who, though they are teenagers, are adamant that they are capable of looking after their babies.
Teenage mothers on Wednesday expressed shock at sentiments that they should be separated from their children in order to complete their studies.
This follows a statement by President Jacob Zuma during his address to traditional leaders that teenage mothers should be separated from their babies until they had completed their schooling.
“They must be educated by government until they are empowered and they can take care of their kids, take them to Robben Island or any island, sit there, study until they are qualified to come back and work to look after their kids,” Zuma said.
Teenage mothers as well as pregnant teenagers in Santa Centre, Galeshewe, said on Wednesday that they were capable of taking care of their babies.
Stephanie Koopman, who has three children, said she was raising her children with the help of her mother.
“I had my first baby when I was 16 years old. I dropped out of school in Grade 10 and I am currently taking care of my youngest child, who is four months old. My mother helps me to raise the children. The father of my children assists me financially and I also receive a child support grant from the government for my three children,” Koopman said.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Modise, who is pregnant but still in school, said her mother will also assist her to raise her baby.
“I am currently in Grade 10. I am planning on going back to school after I have given birth in July because I want to finish my matric. I feel it is my right to raise my child because I made it, so I should be responsible for it. My mother will assist me to raise the baby and I will look for a job after I have completed my matric,” she said.
A 17-year-old, who is also expecting her first baby, said it was her duty as a mother to raise her baby.
“I didn’t get pregnant at someone else’s expense. I need to carry the consequences of my actions. I dropped out of school at Grade 7. My mother only works on weekends, so there will be no problem raising the child.”
She added that her 18-year-old boyfriend said he would maintain the baby.
“The father of my child dropped out of school in Grade 9… he is currently working outside the city but he will also assist in raising the baby,” she said.
Childline Northern Cape said the remarks made by Zuma may cause more damage than good.
The provincial director of Childline, Naomi Edwards, said it was not in everyone’s favour that the mother and her child be separated.
“The comments made by the president may have been said in a positive light because he would like to see teenagers succeed in life, but this however doesn’t mean it will be in the best interest of the child or the teenage mother. There is a need for mothers and children to bond. The statement is a double-edged sword because the advantage would be that mothers could concentrate on their schooling. The disadvantage would be that the child would grow up without a mother – plus it will be easy for teens to have another baby because they will not be responsible for raising the ones they already do have,” she said.
Edwards added that teenage mothers needed to be empowered and not punished.
“It is not a punishment to have a child … taking away the babies of teenagers will be regarded as a punishment. Teen mothers need to be supported and equipped with parenting skills; they must be shown how to nurture and care for their children. These skills will enable them to parent and also not run away from their responsibilities. We don’t want a society where there are absent mothers, because we already have a society with absent fathers,” Edwards said.
Diamond Fields Advertiser