Eastern Cape Crisis: 117 Children Aged 10–14 Give Birth in Four Months

• The Eastern Cape government has urged communities to report child sexual offences after shocking figures revealed that 117 children aged 10 to 14 gave birth in public hospitals
• Authorities say the numbers point to a hidden crisis of sexual abuse, much of it happening behind closed doors and going unreported
• Premier Oscar Mabuyane has warned that without community action, government alone cannot protect vulnerable children

The Eastern Cape government has issued an urgent appeal to communities to report child sexual offences, following the release of deeply troubling statistics on child and teenage pregnancies in the province. According to figures revealed by the provincial Department of Health, at least 117 children between the ages of 10 and 14 gave birth in public hospitals between April and July 2025. During the same period, a further 4,752 teenagers aged between 15 and 19 also delivered babies in public health facilities.

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Premier calls for community action.

Provincial authorities say the figures point to a hidden crisis of sexual abuse, much of which remains unreported. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane warned that many sexual crimes against children take place within homes and close-knit communities, making early detection particularly difficult.

“Government may not be able to pick it up because it happens in the home,” Mabuyane said. “That is why a collective effort is needed. We must strengthen our home institutions and ensure that parents can parent and look after their children.”

The premier stressed that community members, families, educators and neighbours all have a responsibility to speak out and report suspected abuse, adding that silence often allows perpetrators to continue harming children.

Child protection advocates have long warned that under-reporting remains a major challenge, driven by fear, stigma, and the fact that many abusers are known to their victims. The provincial government has reiterated its call for communities to use available reporting channels and work closely with law enforcement and social services to protect vulnerable children.

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Teen girls give birth on New Year's Day.

South Africa welcomed dozens of newborns on New Year’s Day, but officials raised concerns over teenage pregnancies. Of the 90 babies born in the Eastern Cape on the day, 23 were born to teenage mothers. Eastern Cape Health spokesperson Siyanda Manana said the department is working closely with the departments of education and social development to prevent early pregnancies and to investigate cases of statutory rape.

A post by News24 drew shocked reactions from the public, with some users blaming government failures, while others placed responsibility on the parents of the teenagers.

Facebook users reacted to the government's call

Tandie Msweli said:

“What is the department doing with the information they got from those young girls who have already given birth?”

Dumisani Qwebe stated:

“They are failing to work very closely with the community and do not have the vision to prevent these incidents.”

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Rozan Bahlmann Harman commented:

“Teach them how it gets done in Grade 7 and then wonder why they get pregnant. It’s the practical lesson.”

Rene Vermaas said:

“Those children willingly gave birth. SASSA babies.”

Sally July remarked:

“Blame the government. They give children all the rights to do as they please.”

Previously, Briefly News reported that KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane sounded the alarm over teenage pregnancies while briefing the media on babies born on Christmas Day. While she described the occasion as joyous, the number of teenage mothers, including one aged just 15, was a major cause for concern. Simelane added that the situation is often worsened by the fact that the fathers of these children are grown men.

In another related report, the National Department of Health revealed that more teenage mothers gave birth on Christmas Day in 2025 than in 2024. A total of 1,668 babies were born on Christmas Day in 2025, a significant increase from the 1,360 recorded in 2024.

Source: Briefly News