A recent report has revealed alarming statistics regarding teenage pregnancy and abortion among learners in the eThekwini region. The data, released during a conference at the Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre addressing the growing crisis of teenage pregnancy, highlights a worrying trend between April 2024 and April 2025.
According to the findings, 7,625 teenage girls aged between 10 and 19 fell pregnant during this 12-month period. Of these, 154 pregnancies occurred among girls aged just 10 to 14. The report also shows that 582 teenage girls visited public health centres to undergo abortions—a figure that excludes those who may have turned to unlicensed backroom clinics.
eThekwini Municipality Deputy Mayor Zandile Myeni expressed deep concern over the situation, stating that urgent intervention is needed. “All stakeholders must come together to address this crisis,” she said. “The high rate of teenage pregnancy is disturbing and contributes to a range of issues including increased HIV infections, school dropouts, and poverty.”
Myeni emphasized that teenage pregnancy affects not only the young mothers but also their babies and the broader community. She noted that the number of abortions carried out at public health facilities is especially troubling, with many more potentially going unreported.
She further revealed that 10 schools in the region have recorded particularly high numbers of pregnant learners. Areas identified with rising cases just from January 2025 include Inanda, KwaMashu, Hammarsdale, KwaNyuswa, Umlazi, and Chatsworth.
In response to the crisis, the municipality is implementing a “Zero Percent Learner Pregnancy Programme” under the District AIDS Council, aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating teenage pregnancies in schools.
The eThekwini Municipality is calling on parents, educators, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to collaborate in creating safer, more supportive environments for young girls—ensuring that education, awareness, and access to reproductive health services become priorities.
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