Confronting the crisis: Alarming rates of child and teenage pregnancies in eThekwini

eThekwini has been confronted with deeply distressing statistics surrounding child and teenage pregnancies, unveiled during a critical launch of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Multi-Sectoral Strategy aimed at addressing this rampant issue. 

eThekwini Municipality Health Unit HIV/AIDS manager, Monica Jama, said child and teenage pregnancy is driven by social ills such as dysfunctional families, poverty, unemployment, poor parenting, violated children’s rights, lack of support and relationships between children and biological parents, poor family structures, child-headed households, community and cultural/ religious beliefs/norms, etc. 

She highlighted that there is a legal framework that guides and protects children, including the Children’s Act 38 of 2005, National Youth Policy, and Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Act 32 of 2007. 

“All these policies are in existence, but all these policies will not have any effect if we continue to have children being violated, getting pregnant, and delivering babies when they themselves are still children,” Jama said. 

Looking at the numbers in eThekwini, Jama said 39 children, aged 10 to 14, became mothers after delivering babies at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital between April 2023 and March 2024. The following year, from April 2024 to March 2025, the number was 25. 

“Already we have about 70-something mothers in this age group, who gave birth in eThekwini. We have a challenge,” Jama said. 

At the same hospital, 1,735 births were reported among teenagers aged 15 to 19.

“I’m talking about learners,” Jama said. 

Then from April 2024 to March 2025, there were 1,653. 

“That’s a problem. When we say we’re bringing a strategy, we shouldn’t be shocked. The numbers are shocking, but the problem is, what do we do about these numbers now that we know?” 

Jama said that in April 2023 - March 2024, there were 20 children aged 10-14 who had pregnancy terminations in eThekwini. These terminations occurred at recognised centres. 

She said 608 girls aged between 15 and 19 had terminations. It was better in the previous year (April 2024 - March 2025), there was only one. There were 474 between the ages of 15 to 19 (April 2024 - March 2025). 

“When are we going to protect these children aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 because they are supposed to be in school?” Jama asked. 

She said that from April - June 2025, 37 children aged 10-14 delivered babies in a facility. July - September recorded 37 too. 

“We continue producing mothers who are aged 10-14 annually. These numbers are very disturbing for those who work in the HIV programme. What worries us, when we have this picture, new HIV infections kick in.

“This is unprotected sex because they wouldn’t have fallen pregnant if they had used a condom. They are at risk of getting HIV. They are at risk of dropping out of school. They are at risk of sexual and gender-based violence.” 

Jama said that in the Osindisweni cluster, three children aged 10-14 gave birth at Osindisweni Hospital in April - June 2025, and two in July - September 2025. 

Some of the recommendations Jama made include, but are not limited to:

• Deliberating on available data presented for eThekwini during commissions;
• Identifying good practices and gaps in existing programmes and interventions;
• Identifying priorities and key actions for eThekwini teenage pregnancy integrated with specific activities to be undertaken by government, civil society, and communities at large (short, medium, and long term);
• Outlining the roles and responsibilities of individual stakeholders and supporting partners at the ward level monthly;
• Providing feedback quarterly at cluster/zonal level; monitor and evaluate results on an annual basis at metro level; and
• Mapping of referral services for pregnant/ teen mothers who require social and psychosocial support.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za