This is how many pregnancies were recorded among girls aged 10 to 14 in the Western Cape

The alarming rate of pregnancies.

Political parties, alongside gender-based violence (GBV) organisations, are calling for urgent action from police authorities following the shocking revelation that 296 pregnancies were documented among girls aged 10 to 14 in the Western Cape during the 2024/25 financial year. This distressing statistic was released by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness and brought to public attention by DA spokesperson on Social Development, Wendy Kaizer-Philander.

The Cape Argus reported that community leaders and organisations are demanding a thorough investigation into these cases, underscoring the alarming implications of such figures.

Siya Monakali from IIitha Labantu expressed deep concerns, stating that the data reveals not just a health crisis but a profound issue of child protection. “The numbers and ages are shocking, and it has sadly become a norm in communities,” he remarked.

Monakali stressed that discussions around these pregnancies often fall under the misleading umbrella of 'teenage pregnancy', which diminishes the severe reality at hand. “These are not simply teenage pregnancies. These are children,” he said emphatically.