Sterilisation for philanderers

AT THEMitchells Plain day hospital mid-wife obstetrics unit more than 500 girls under the age of 18 have given birth and 38 had abortions.

My concern is the economic liability for rate- and taxpayers. Because Mitchells Plain is primarily a low-income suburb, the new mother and child will get a child grant, free housing, health care and education.

It is also obvious the family, and our religious and political leaders have failed these girls. Or we could blame the men responsible.

Since there are long-term financial implications, someone must be held accountable. But without state intervention, behaviour change is not possible.

As a society, we cannot pretend that teenage pregnancies and the consequences are insignificant or acceptable.

In 2009, according to the Department of Basic Education, a total of 45 276 learners fell pregnant. This is a national disgrace.

Some months ago Premier Helen Zille spoke out against teenage pregnancy and was lambasted for being insensitive. I wonder who her detractors will hold responsible as their tons of sensitivity and empathy have added no value.

As a teenager, I was aware of young men who had a reputation for flirting. Because of their cars and stylish dress they were popular. As the years passed I heard of their exploits and numerous girlfriends.

As teenage pregnancy remains a major disgrace within the Muslim community, mortified parents hid it at all costs. This allowed these men to continue their sordid activity, often without any consequences.

Had this been an Islamic state, they would probably not have survived the punishment. Years later, as a conflict mediator in the Social Welfare Department of the Muslim Judicial Council, I saw many of these women. Many sought resolution to unstable marriages.

Marrying a man who was not the father of the child placed a burden on the relationship. While this revealed the innate hypocrisy about philanderers, the illicit conduct remained an emotional albatross.

Had those young men and their pregnant teenage girlfriends faced a state-sanctioned reversible sterilisation process, many imprudent women may have been saved.

Children would also have been saved the emotional torture of having to find their biological fathers.

As ratepayers, we will inevitably pay the financial and emotional cost of these teenage pregnancies. So should we not have our say on tackling the problem?

Cape Muslim Congress