KwaZulu-Natal Premier Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli officially launched the KwaZulu-Natal Multisectoral Strategy to Curb Child and Teenage Pregnancies (2025–2029) at Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre, under Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, on Tuesday 28 October 2025.

The event brought together Members of the Executive Council, Mayors, traditional leaders, the SANAC CEO, frontline workers, school governing bodies, and civil society partners united behind a shared commitment to protect the rights, health, and well-being of young people.

Addressing a Growing Crisis

Premier Ntuli emphasised that child and teenage pregnancy is a direct threat to the province’s future, undermining efforts to fight HIV and AIDS, limiting access to education, and entrenching cycles of poverty.

He highlighted alarming statistics reported between April and December last year:

•⁠ ⁠26 515 girls aged 10 to 19 fell pregnant
•⁠ ⁠1 254 of them were 14 years old and younger

The Premier stated that when children become mothers, society has failed them, and allowing this crisis to persist will rob the province of future leaders, innovators, and change-makers.

⁠“A young girl who falls pregnant faces increased risk of contracting HIV. This is not only a health crisis but a social and economic one that steals potential and destroys futures,” said Premier Ntuli.

A First in South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal is the first province in the country to develop a comprehensive, multisectoral strategy that directly tackles the drivers of child and teenage pregnancy.

This strategy was shaped through extensive consultations across all 11 districts, involving community dialogues, frontline workers, government departments, researchers, and development partners.

Premier Ntuli emphasised that the plan belongs to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, built from community insight and a strong demand for urgent action.

Six Pillars for Prevention, Protection and Accountability

The strategy focuses on:

1.⁠ ⁠Empowering youth with knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and their rights
2.⁠ ⁠Coordinated, integrated youth support programmes across all sectors
3.⁠ ⁠Protecting and supporting pregnant teens to remain in school and access healthcare
4.⁠ ⁠Strengthening community capacity to prevent abuse and exploitation
5.⁠ ⁠Actively involving boys and young men in prevention and positive behaviour change
6.⁠ ⁠Ensuring perpetrators face swift justice, including prioritised convictions for statutory rape and abuse

The Premier issued a strong warning to adults who prey on children, stressing that sexual activity with anyone under 16 is statutory rape and must lead to imprisonment. He condemned harmful practices such as parents accepting compensation from abusers instead of reporting them.

A Call for Collective Action

Premier Ntuli called on every sector to contribute:

•⁠ ⁠Government to break silo approaches and integrate services
•⁠ ⁠Traditional and faith leaders to lead moral accountability
•⁠ ⁠Law enforcement to ensure justice is delivered swiftly
•⁠ ⁠Researchers to guide evidence-based action
•⁠ ⁠Civil society, youth-led organisations, and the private sector to expand interventions
•⁠ ⁠Frontline workers to continue serving with compassion and resilience

⁠“This strategy demands coordination, compassion, and courage. The time for talk-shops is over,” he said.

Protecting KwaZulu-Natal’s Future

Premier Ntuli concluded by reaffirming that the ultimate goal is:

•⁠ ⁠Zero pregnancies among children
•⁠ ⁠Significant reduction in teenage pregnancies across the province

He urged society to unite in defence of the rights and dignity of young girls and boys.

⁠“Let us go forth and build a safer, healthier, and more prosperous future for every child in KwaZulu-Natal,” he declared, officially launching the strategy.