A 28-year-old waiter is facing statutory rape charges after impregnating a 13-year-old girl who gave birth on Christmas Day at Seshego Hospital outside Polokwane, Limpopo.
The incident, one of 31 teenage pregnancies reported in Limpopo on Christmas Day alone, has sparked outrage and renewed calls for stronger protection of children.
The young victim, the youngest of the 31, first met the accused at a Seshego shopping complex in January while buying school supplies.
According to her 35-year-old aunt, who remains unnamed to protect the child’s identity, the man, who worked at a Polokwane restaurant, “approached her under the pretext of helping her with mathematics,” despite the girl excelling in the subject. Their relationship progressed, culminating in sexual intimacy in May.
The pregnancy remained a secret until November, when the teenager began experiencing severe stomach pains. It was only then that she revealed the truth to her aunt. A visit to a local clinic confirmed she was eight months pregnant.
The aunt recounted the shock and distress of the discovery, saying, “My heart is in pain. He should have seen a child when he looked at her.” The family, who hadn’t yet had “the birds and the bees” talk with the young girl, were completely unprepared for the revelation.
“We had planned to have a talk with her in the new year when she started high school, but someone took advantage of her before that,” the aunt lamented, expressing feelings of failure at not having protected her niece.
The birth of the baby boy on Christmas Day further compounded the family’s trauma. The young mother, still a child herself, is struggling with the physical demands of motherhood. “She can’t even breastfeed because her body is not fully developed. Where are we supposed to get the milk?” the aunt questioned, highlighting the practical challenges facing the family.
The arrest has brought some measure of relief, but the family is now grappling with the significant financial burden of raising the unexpected baby. The girl’s single mother works on a farm, leaving the child in the care of her grandmother and siblings.
“The mother is trying to provide for them alone, and I only visit them,” the aunt said, describing their precarious financial situation. “I wish he could be made responsible for all the expenses,” she added.
The incident has prompted strong condemnation from various officials. Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba stated, “There’s absolutely no justification for an adult to engage in any form of sexual relationship with a minor and we condemn such actions in the strongest possible terms. We express our gratitude for the prompt action taken by the police in arresting the suspect.”
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe echoed this sentiment, saying, “Cases of similar nature where children are sexually molested will be investigated throughout the province and perpetrators brought to book to face the full might of law.”
The School Governing Body (SGB) federation convener, Apostle Derick Mosoana, added his voice to the chorus of condemnation, highlighting the broader issue of teenage pregnancies.
“These are not teen mums but children whose innocence has been stolen. Their pregnancies are not a result of consent but of gross violations of their rights. As a society, we must act decisively to safeguard the future of our children by addressing the systemic failures that allow such atrocities to persist,” he said.
