KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has raised concerns about the high number of teenagers who have delivered babies this Christmas. Simelane was at KwaDukuza’s General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Hospital welcoming the new arrivals.
By midday, 47 children including 24 girls and 23 boys, had been delivered in the province.
The youngest mother is 15-years-old.
Simelane also raised concerns that children who fall pregnant at a young age also run the risk of being exposed to sexually transmitted diseases.
“We are very concerned as a province of the number of young mothers that are increasing. The number is becoming more over the years. This year we have a 15-year-old mother that gave birth at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital. For us, this is a serious issue because for a 15-year-old to give birth now it means she fell pregnant when she was 14. That is really statutory rape. It is something that as a society we should not keep quiet about. As a society, we cannot encourage (such). We need to put an end and stop this.”
Simelane has advised families against accepting payment from people who impregnate young girls.
She says they must lay criminal charges instead.
“We know that some families would say where a 15-year-old has been impregnated and they ask the man to pay damages. There is no amount of damages paid that would actually change back the life of that particular child. As families, we must stand firm as families. We must sure that those who abuse our children they must pay the prize those that abuse our children the law must take its cause.”
Three mothers, Thobekile Shabane, Thobeka Ngubane and Nokuthula Dube welcomed the gifts presented to them on behalf of their Christmas newborns.
Forty babies have been delivered on Christmas Day Mpumalanga. Among the babies are two sets of twins who were delivered at both Lydenburg and Matikwani hospitals in Thaba Chweu and Bushbuckridge, respectively.
Twenty three are girls and 17 boys.
Last year, only 37 babies were delivered in the province.
Health MEC Sasekani Manzine showered the mothers with gifts in the spirit of Christmas. She, however, raised concerns over teenage pregnancies.
Among the mothers there are three teenagers, the youngest being 16 years old.
“We can indicate that so far we have got 40 deliveries and out of that 23 are females and 17 are boys and 17 are males and last year this time, we had 37. And we have two sets of twins, which are from Ehlanzeni District, and here at Tonga, we can indicate that in terms of the five deliveries that we are having, one is from Swaziland. It tells you that if one is to five coming from Swaziland the number of deliveries that we’re are getting in this hospital, most of them are from the neighbouring countries (sic). Also of serious concern (is) the issue of the teenage pregnancy.”
Welcoming Christmas babies in Mpumalanga:
