The Gauteng Department of Health has raised concerns over the increasing number of teenage pregnancies and terminations in the province. According to a report by TimesLIVE, a total of 24,941 cases were recorded during the 2022/23 period, marking a significant increase of 496 cases compared to the previous year. Girls aged between 10 and 19 were the most affected, with Ekurhuleni district reporting the highest number of incidents at 6,670 cases, followed by Johannesburg with 6,069, and Tshwane with 4,858 cases.
In response to this alarming trend, the department is set to unveil a multisectoral intervention plan in Benoni aimed at addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy in the province. The plan will outline strategic objectives and collaborative efforts to tackle this growing problem and provide support to young girls facing such challenges.
In other news, the United States has backed South Africa’s extradition request for Ace Magashule’s former personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, over corruption allegations. According to a report by News24, Cholota is accused of being involved in illicit schemes, including facilitating payments from contractors and orchestrating kickbacks. The charges against her stem from her alleged assistance to Magashule in securing bribes tied to a controversial asbestos tender. The extradition process is currently ongoing, with Cholota in custody following her recent arrest.
Lastly, a woman named Tebogo Liza Dlamini successfully evicted a claimant, JM Chuene, in a dispute over ownership of an RDP house in Nellmapius, Pretoria. Despite Chuene’s claims of purchasing the house almost 15 years prior, the court ruled in favor of Dlamini, stating that the sale of state-subsidized property within the first eight years of acquisition is prohibited. Chuene has been ordered to vacate the property within 90 days.