- Rising Teenage Pregnancies in Eastern Cape: The EFF reports a significant increase in teenage pregnancies, with over 100 girls aged 10-14 and nearly 5,000 teenagers aged 15-19 giving birth between April and July 2025, emphasizing government and societal shortcomings.
- High Rates in Districts Like OR Tambo: Certain districts such as OR Tambo experience persistently high adolescent birth rates, despite ongoing government campaigns aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies.
- Pregnancies Often Result of Rape: The EFF emphasizes that many teenage pregnancies, especially among girls under 14, are due to rape by adults, exacerbated by rural underdevelopment and weak law enforcement.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Eastern Cape have expressed outrage over rising teenage pregnancies following provincial statistics released recently. Between April and July 2025, more than 100 girls aged 10 to 14 and nearly 5,000 teenagers aged 15 to 19 gave birth in public facilities. The EFF says this shows government and society have failed to protect vulnerable children.
The crisis is worst in districts like OR Tambo, where adolescent births remain high despite official campaigns. The EFF warns that these pregnancies often result from rape, not personal choices, citing rural underdevelopment, collapsing health services, lack of youth clinics, and weak law enforcement as major causes.
Authorities claim cases are being opened against men who impregnate minors, but communities still wait for arrests, prosecutions, and harsh sentences. The EFF condemned the South African Police Service for failing to treat statutory rape with urgency, stressing that most pregnancies among girls under 14 involve adult men.
The party demands automatic criminal investigations for every pregnancy involving a minor, youth-friendly health zones, stigma-free contraception in schools, safe learner transport, and community involvement to dismantle harmful practices and expose predators.
