Note to Editors: Please note Shontel de Boer, MPL sound bite in English
A recent Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) report (view here) – for the period 1 January 2024 to 28 February 2025 has revealed that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) recorded 438 live births by girls aged between 10 and 14 years and 24 532 for those aged between 15 and 19 years.
The DA is deeply concerned by these statistics. They are not just numbers – they represent the lives of young girls whose childhoods have been cut short. In the case of girls aged 10 to 14 years, many are likely to involve statutory rape. Also concerning is that the statistics relate to registered births only, meaning that the true number is likely to be much higher.
The report also shows that KZN recorded 183 377 live birth registrations in total. While most registrations took place between 31–364 days, some only took place between 1–14 years after birth. The Births and Deaths Registration Act mandates that all births be registered within 30 days. Yet many parents continue to register births late.
Registration of a child’s birth is a constitutional right and a crucial step in ensuring access to essential services. A birth certificate enables access healthcare, education and social services and affirms a child’s right to citizenship. The DA urges all parents and guardians to register births timeously to safeguard their children’s rights and future opportunities.
Our young girls cannot suffer in silence. Every child deserves to be a child – to grow up free from abuse, exploitation, and fear. And every child has the right to protection, identity, healthcare, education and citizenship.
The DA, as a partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) stands firm in its commitment to protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of children. We will continue to lobby government and law enforcement – at both provincial and national level – to ensure that every case involving underage pregnancy is properly investigated, and that perpetrators are held accountable.