Eastern Cape Teen Births Drop for Third Year

Teenage and child births in the Eastern Cape have declined for the third consecutive year, with the Department of Health crediting a crackdown on statutory rape and expanded youth health programmes for the downward trend.

According to a media statement released today by Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa, births among girls aged 10–14 dropped from 553 in 2022/23 to 292 in 2025/26. The province closed the final quarter of 2025/26 with 54 births in that age group, well below its target of 75.

A slower but steady decline was also recorded among adolescents aged 15–19, with total births falling from 17,064 in 2022/23 to 13,916 in 2025/26.

“These gains signal that prevention and community-based interventions are beginning to yield results,” MEC Capa said. “But the numbers remain too high. Our focus is on protecting children and improving health outcomes for both mother and child.”

The Department attributes the progress to collaboration with the Departments of Education and Social Development and community partners. Efforts have focused on access to information, reproductive health services, and community awareness campaigns.

On the legal front, the Department stressed that pregnancies in girls under 16 constitute statutory rape. Reporting has been tightened through the mandatory use of Form 22 for all suspected cases of child abuse and underage pregnancies. The province’s 11 Thuthuzela Care Centres have also helped improve access to justice, with sexual offence conviction rates now between 84% and 89%.

To improve service access, 534 Youth Zones have been set up in health facilities across the province. Staffed by trained nurses, they offer sexual and reproductive health services, mental health support, and HIV prevention in a youth-friendly environment.

The Department is also expanding digital support. Through the Bumbingomso Call Centre, young people in districts like Buffalo City and Amathole can access help via WhatsApp and telephonic services. The B-Wise app is being promoted as a “health at your fingertips” platform for sexual and reproductive health information.

Clinical training continues through the “Funda Friday” initiative, where healthcare workers hold case discussions to improve maternal and child health outcomes.

New programmes are engaging young men to promote responsible behaviour and positive masculinity. The Department is also working with traditional and religious leaders to challenge harmful practices at grassroots level.

“This is a whole-of-society challenge,” the statement reads. “We do not operate in isolation”.

The Department said it will continue focusing on early antenatal booking and prevention programmes, particularly in high-burden districts, while accelerating the decline in teenage pregnancies.