KZN faces alarming rise in child and teen pregnancies: Over 28 000 cases reported
Statistics reveal a troubling rise in child and teenage pregnancies in KwaZulu-Natal, raising urgent concerns for the community.
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Statistics from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health reveal alarming figures for the 2025/26 financial year, with 421 pregnancies reported among children aged 10 to 14 and 28,108 among those aged 15 to 19.
Thabisile Hlatshwayo from the uThukela Health District Office shared the numbers of child and teenage pregnancy in the current financial year.
Hlatshwayo said 421 children aged 10 to 14 became pregnant in the province in the 2025/26 financial year.
She said eThekwini had 130 cases of child pregnancy, followed by uMkhanyakude, 65, King Cetshwayo 52, and then uMgungundlovu with 50.
She said all 11 districts in the province had cases that had been reported.
Hlatshwayo said 28 108 children became pregnant in the 15 to 19-year age group.
“EThekwini has the most with 7 335, followed by King Cetshwayo, 2 972, then Zululand, 2 787, uMkhanyakude, 2 578, uMgungundlovu 2 444 and Ugu district, 2 005,” Hlatshwayo said.
Childline KZN director Adeshini Naicker said the statistics are worrying, and more must be done to protect children and better support teenagers.
“The pregnancies in the 10–14 age group are especially alarming, because children of that age cannot legally consent, which raises serious concerns about abuse and exploitation,” Naicker said.
“The high number in the 15–19 age group shows that teenage pregnancy remains a major issue in the province. It points to ongoing challenges such as poverty, limited access to contraception, and gaps in education and support for young people.”
Naicker said that while eThekwini is the largest and most populated district, the statistics are still concerning.
“Higher numbers can partly be explained by population size and better reporting, but it also suggests that many young people in the area are still at risk.
"Issues such as inequality, unsafe environments, and limited access to youth-friendly services may be contributing factors,” Naicker said.
“These figures highlight the need for stronger, targeted interventions in eThekwini to protect children and support young people in making safer choices.”
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane stated that children aged 10 to 16 who become pregnant or have sexual experiences should be considered victims of rape.
She argued that a child in this age bracket does not understand the difference between right and wrong regarding sexual consent.
“It is important that we work together with the community, with the leadership (including traditional leaders), and with the parents, so that we deal with this scourge… After all, an 11-year-old is sometimes physically not ready in the body, a 10-year-old is physically not ready, but mentally it kills the child,” Simelane said.
She said that although these topics are taught at school and the department has planning tools, lessons should start in the home.