DA calls on President Zuma to apologize and retract teenage pregnancy comments

11 March 2015

Release: immediate

The DA calls on President Zuma to apologize to the nation and retract his assertions that teenage mothers should be separated from their children and banished to Robben Island. 

As the holder of the highest office in the land, the President has done an embarrassing, and offensive disservice to the country's teenage pregnancy crisis and his government's role in addressing the socio-economic problems that underpin it.

The President's comments are devoid of any responsible solutions to curbing teenage pregnancy, which require that we adopt a whole of society approach involving all stakeholders in developing young people with the aim of producing responsible, skilled and well-resourced adults.

Actual prevention of teenage pregnancy is far more difficult than making wild statements about separating young mothers from their children, as President Zuma has chosen to do. 

Family planning services, incentives to complete education before falling pregnant, and public education programmes to stigmatize intergenerational and unprotected sex all form part of this whole of society approach.

The President's comments are not only irresponsible, but expose a deep-seated patriarchal thinking behind his words. 

The DA is committed to a society where young people are given every opportunity to succeed, and supported to avoid obstacles such as pregnancy at a young age. 

We call on the President to retract his remarks and apologize with immediate effect.

Statement issued by Phumzile Van Damme, DA National Spokesperson, March 11 2015

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