Sandi Kwon Hoo An arrest warrant was issued for the acting head of the Northern Cape Health Department following officials' failure to ...
Sandi Kwon HooAn arrest warrant was issued for the acting head of the Northern Cape Health Department following officials' failure to attend the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) this week.
The organization in Chapter 9 was present in Kimberley to examine the concerning number of students leaving school due to teenage pregnancies in the region.
A spokesperson for SAPS Northern Cape, Sergeant Molefi Shemane, stated that the Kimberley Detective Unit is looking into an instance where someone failed to follow a notice issued under the Commission for Gender Equality Act.
"A report was filed at the Kimberley police station following an employee from a department who is alleged to have not shown up before the Commission on November 17. The inquiry is still ongoing," he stated.
The deputy chairperson of CGE, Prabashni Subrayan-Naidoo, stated that the Department of Health had verified participation on November 11.
"The department issued an apology letter on November 12, stating that they had been invited for an oversight visit by the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in the Frances Baard District. On November 17, the department informed the CGE between 12 and 1 p.m. that there would be a delay and that they would appear at 3 p.m. However, they did not show up, leading to the initiation of criminal proceedings," she said.
Contradictory data regarding adolescent pregnancies
The Northern Cape Education Department stated that 7,391 adolescents became pregnant between 2023 and 2025. Most students were said to live in the Frances Baard District, followed by John Taolo Gaetsewe and ZF Mgcawu.
The provincial Department of Social Development (DSD) stated that it is currently aware of 3,300 cases of teenage pregnancies in the Northern Cape, according to data provided by the Department of Health.
Social workers examined instances of child and adolescent pregnancies linked to abuse or intentional neglect, covering physical, sexual, or emotional harm – specifically 45 cases in Frances Baard, 13 in Namakwa, nine in ZF Mgcawu, nine in John Taolo Gaetsewe, and nine in Pixley ka Seme.
Two instances were resolved in Namakwa without any legal proceedings initiated, following the rejection of personal guidance and psychological support services.
Five out of the nine cases in ZF Mgcawu were not reported to the authorities.
In Pixley ka Seme, eight cases remained unopened as the children were involved with the boys who had gotten them pregnant.
In multiple cases, families chose not to file criminal charges.
A 16-year-old girl from Prieska had a pregnancy that her mother chose not to report, as she supported the relationship.
DSD stated that a 17-year-old girl is accused of falsely claiming she was raped, despite having had consensual sexual activity with her boyfriend.
The department stated that older men frequently took advantage of young girls by supporting entire families, with parents allegedly "selling" their daughters in exchange for money.
It was mentioned that there are no particular facilities designated for teenage mothers in the province.
North Carolina is ranked second in teen pregnancy rates
CGE Commissioner Dr Charnell Naidu noted that, following KwaZulu-Natal, the Northern Cape had the second-largest number of teenage pregnancies in the nation.
Non-cooperation is insufficient – the police are not fulfilling their responsibilities. It is disheartening when children become parents. The fact that the SAPS are unaware of the 7,391 teenage pregnancies in the province is alarming, at the very least, even if these cases remain unreported. Our youth are not being safeguarded.
She also raised the question of why school employees had not undergone thorough background checks.
Naidu suggested that the public should be informed that child support grants were "not sufficient" to purchase baby formula for a single month.
CGE Commissioner Advocate Thando Gumede expressed worries regarding the insufficient assistance provided to LGBTQI and disabled individuals who have been victims of sexual crimes.
They frequently travel to different provinces for help. It is frustrating that the conviction rate of reported cases cannot be determined. It is evident that there is no respect for children's rights.
A legal officer from Mpumalanga, Sandile Useni, stated that it was common for poor families to "sell" young girls for as little as R250.
A large number of undocumented cases
Law enforcement stated that delayed reporting hindered the gathering of DNA evidence, with numerous cases going unreported as the offenders were frequently relatives or individuals familiar to the children.
Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, head of the SAPS provincial commission, noted that there were many unreported instances, with police having documentation for just 215 cases of statutory rape in the last three years.
The Department of Education has not yet supplied us with the appropriate case numbers for the other incidents. We conduct awareness programs for both boys and girls, but are they paying attention? Children visit shebeens, taverns, and clubs, where they interact with adults.
She mentioned that families often attempted to handle issues on their own, which led to the continuation of unlawful activities, and societal shame also prevented people from coming forward.
Information is kept secret, and law enforcement officers are seen as meddling in personal affairs. Families that rely financially on a provider are hesitant to file complaints or drop charges against the breadwinner.
Otola stated that charges of abduction and sexual assault have been filed against those who coerced girls into traditional marriages.
Juveniles arrested for sexual offenses are returned to their parents or guardians because they cannot be housed with adult criminals.
She mentioned that the Department of Education is in charge of screening educational personnel.
A child molester was working at a primary school. We are unaware of how he was hired, as he had previously been arrested at a high school for similar offenses.
She cautioned that parents might face charges of neglect if a baby was sexually assaulted while the mother was away or under the influence of alcohol during the incident.
Women may face charges if they stop a child from accusing their father of rape.
Otola mentioned that child support benefits were frequently abused.
"Rather than the money being spent on the baby, it is used for hair and nail treatments, with the grandparents responsible for looking after the child," she stated.
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