Department Collaborates With University Of Pretoria To Host Teenage Pregnancy Awareness Session

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By Phetoho Maja

  • One hundred teenage girls from Tsakane schools participated in the University of Pretoria’s Ubuntu Community Model programme.
  • Gauteng recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies during the 2025/26 financial year, with many cases involving statutory rape.
  • Stakeholders recommended continued collaboration between the Department of Social Development and higher learning institutions to strengthen preventative interventions.

At least one hundred (100) teenage girls from schools in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, participated in the University of Pretoria’s Ubuntu Community Model programme, which seeks to address and prevent teenage pregnancies among learners aged between 13 and 19 years.

Speaking during the awareness session held at Mamellong Comprehensive School on Saturday, Social Worker Nomathamsanqa Makha from the Gauteng Department of Social Development’s Geluksdal Office said the event, facilitated by the University of Pretoria, aimed to provide information and guidance on the prevention of teenage pregnancy.

“We participated alongside parents, learners, and school staff. The session created a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement and reinforced the importance of coordinated, community-based approaches to addressing teenage pregnancy,” said Makha.

She added that one of the key outcomes of the session was the recommendation that the Gauteng Department of Social Development should continue collaborating with institutions of higher learning and support school-university partnerships of this nature, as they align with the Department’s mandate to strengthen preventative child protection interventions and promote learner well-being.

Statistics reveal that Gauteng recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies during the 2025/26 financial year. Many of these cases resulted from statutory rape involving girls aged 16 years and younger. The scale of the crisis is evident even in isolated snapshots, at least 130 teenage mothers gave birth in public health facilities on Christmas Day.

Professor Fhumulani Mulaudzi from the University of Pretoria said the purpose of implementing Ubuntu-led interventions for the prevention of teenage pregnancy was to provide information, guidance, and clarity on the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in preventing teenage pregnancy.

“We want to encourage open communication between parents, guardians, and learners, promote healthy decision-making and responsible behaviour, and strengthen collaboration between families and schools in supporting learners’ well-being and success,” said Professor Mulaudzi.