Picture: Teenage pregnacies hit Christiana/Generic
By BAKANG MOKOTO
20 June 2025 – Three cases of statutory rape were opened by a nursing sister and medical practitioner at the Christiana Police Station on 6 June 2025, after three teenage girls aged 14, 15 and 16, visited the local clinic for check-ups and confirmed to be pregnant. Three girls who are supposed to be attending school, visited the clinic unaccompanied by their parents and this raised the suspicion and concerns of the health professionals about possible breach of duty of care by their guardians.
The North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said taking into account the seriousness and prevalence of incidents of Gender Based Violence (GBV), especially crimes against women and girl children, the South African Police Service (SAPS)’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, was notified to immediately investigate the possible contravention of the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act, 2007 (Act No. 32 of 2007).
Mokgwabone said the Act does not only broaden the crime of rape, but also prohibits acts of consensual sexual violation with certain children as statutory sexual assault.
“Investigation has revealed that all three girls have been involved in consensual intimate relationships and unprotected sex with their boyfriends that led to all three falling pregnant. The girl (14) is impregnated by a boy (17), a girl (16) was impregnated by a man (18), while the age of the boyfriend of the girl (15) is still to be verified,” he said.
Mokgwabone further said the case dockets will be referred to the Senior Public Prosecutor for decisions.
Meanwhile, reacting to this, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General Patrick Asaneng, has instructed that the Provincial GBVF Implementation Plan Committee comprised of the Police, Social Workers, Educators, Health, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and other formations such as Faith Based Organisations (FBOs), School Governing Bodies (SGBs), Community Police Forums (CPFs) and Ward Councillors to as a matter of priority, visit and intensify their community awareness and outreach programmes not only in Christiana, but in other identified GBV&F/Domestic Violence ridden communities in the province.
“The fact that these incidents were brought to the attention of the police by the local clinic should not only serve as a warning about the prevalent dangers of crimes by and against children, but must galvanise government and civil society to take decisive actions to eliminate the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV&F) and immorality in the society,” said Asaneng.
The Guardian 