Municipality addresses rising teenage pregnancy rates at Indaba

The high rate of teenage pregnancy came under the spotlight at an Indaba held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, in Durban, on Tuesday May 20.

eThekwini Municipality took a stand against the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the city by hosting a Teenage Pregnancy Indaba.

The Indaba brought together stakeholders from various sectors to address this pressing social, health and economic challenge. The increasing number of pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 19 in the city remains deeply concerning, with far reaching consequences that include increased HIV infections, school dropouts, and the perpetuation of poverty.

 The city’s data shows that between April 2024 and April 2025, 7 627 teenage pregnancies were recorded, including 154 girls aged between 10 and 14 years.

 eThekwini Deputy Mayor, Zandile Myeni, emphasised the urgent need for a multi-sectoral and community-driven response.

“For the province to reduce child and teenage pregnancy, eThekwini Municipality requires a targeted approach and practical solutions before teenage pregnancy becomes a public, social and health crisis. Early pregnancies impact not just the young mother and child, but the entire community. We must also integrate HIV prevention into these efforts,” said Deputy Mayor Myeni.

The Indaba also revealed alarming trends regarding terminations of pregnancy, with an average of 582 teenagers per month accessing safe abortion services at municipal health facilities. This figure excludes unsafe terminations conducted in unregulated environments.

The city’s presentation included a list of the top 10 schools with the highest reported pupil pregnancies from January to March 2025. High-burden areas identified include Inanda, KwaMashu, Hammarsdale, KwaDabeka, KwaNyuswa, Tshelimnyama, uMlazi and Chatsworth.

One of the highlighted interventions is the Zero Percent Learner Pregnancy Programme, launched two years ago under the District AIDS Council. This initiative empowers girls to stay in school and promotes sexual health awareness among pupils.

 “Teenage pregnancy is a significant public health concern. It signifies that many young people are engaging in unprotected sex, increasing their risk of HIV. The statistics are especially worrying for girls aged 10 to 14. We need all hands-on deck from parents, teachers, community leaders and the government to address this issue,” said Deputy Mayor Myeni.