What students say about the law

JATIN MAHAS, 23, said the change in law would definitely increase the number of teenage pregnancies and illegal abortions in the country.

“Children’s education will be affected by pregnancies.

They will be unable to find jobs, resulting in more poverty in our country and a decline in skilled workers,” said the engineering student.

He said that growing up he understood that sex was an adult act and not for children, but that things had changed “drastically”. MARCELLO OWEN KEMRAJ, 22, said amending the legislation was a big mistake.

“Teenage pregnancy is a huge problem in South Africa and now we are basically giving teenagers permission to have sex at a young age, because there are no consequences for their actions if caught.

“The government needs to review the decision and take into account the social implications,” said the engineering student. SHRETHA MAHARAJ, 23, pictured above, said she firmly believed in sex after marriage regardless of what the law said.

“The recent amendment to the sexual offences act is disappointing. Our country already has a high rate of teen pregnancy and the amendment will not help,” said the industrial psychology student.

She said that television and other media had influenced children to be sexually active too early: “The law shouldn’t be promoting this.” THE director of Phoenix Child Welfare, Aroona Chetty, is ambivalent about the new legal changes.

“I’ve welcomed the amendment because criminally charging children for engaging in consensual sex was a ridiculous, harsh punishment, but it now gives teenagers more freedom to become sexually active without any consequences, and herein lies the problem.”

Chetty said at the age of 12 a child was not mature and responsible enough to make decisions about sex, they still needed guidance from their parents.

“Before the amendment was passed, a secondary plan highlighting new consequences for children caught engaging in consensual sex should have been formed by government,” she said.