The alarming rate of pregnancies.
A total of 296 pregnancies among girls aged between 10 and 14 years in the Western Cape during the 2024/25 financial year has prompted renewed calls from political parties and gender-based violence organisations for stronger enforcement and criminal investigations.
The figures, released by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness and shared by DA Western Cape spokesperson on Social Development Wendy Kaizer-Philander, have raised concern about the increasing number of very young children affected, Cape Argus reports.
Kaizer-Philander said the trend required urgent attention from both health authorities and law enforcement agencies, adding that cases involving children of this age must be treated as criminal matters.
“An alarming 296 pregnancies were recorded among girls aged 10 to 14 years in the Western Cape during the 2024/25 financial year,” she said.
