/ 5 March 2007

Province of pregnant pupils

The number of Gauteng schoolgirls who fell pregnant in 2006 was double that of the previous year, the Star newspaper reported on Monday.

The newspaper said 2 336 schoolgirls were pregnant last year — up from 2004 when 1 373, and 2005 when 1 169 schoolgirls were reported pregnant.

The Gauteng Education Department threatened to take action against the Democratic Alliance’s Jack Bloom, who released the figures.

Provincial education minister Angie Motshekga last week provided a written response to a question by Bloom on the number of pregnant schoolgirls in the province.

South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Sunday that Motshekga was angry that the information had been made public.

Her spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi said the DA had no respect for legislative privileges. – Sapa