By Lynn Harding
I refer to Barbie Sandler’s letter on childhood pregnancies in Monday’s paper, and also the editorial column.
Barbie, you and I speak with the same voice. The rate of teen-and-younger pregnancies in this country should be of major concern to all of us, not only the government.
As if it’s not tragic enough that such immature children are producing babies that they cannot care for, the reverberations of all these extra births will affect almost every sphere of our country, in so many respects.
Over-population is one of the greatest tragedies of humankind, bringing children into a world already battling to feed its populations in so many countries, predominantly the poorest of the poor.
Out of over-population will come lack of schooling, as no funds are available for education when the dire need is to put food on the table. So, no education and hence no ability to hold down a job down the road.
Therefore, unemployment goes up as well.
Idle hands are the ideal weapon for the devil’s work and lead inevitably to crime as a means of getting money for food.
Sex is a wonderful way to pass those many hours of idleness, and hence the casual pregnancies happen, and the vicious cycle starts again.
Where I differ from Barbie is that I actually think the gogos and mothers encourage their young daughters to get pregnant.
Sounds crazy, I know, but think about it for a minute. Each child you produce pushes up your social grant money.
I firmly believe that the government has created its own monster in the form of the social grant to support all these families with so many children.
The more children you produce, the more money you get given ... what’s not to like, especially for the uneducated and unemployed?
I also think the ANC encourages all this over-population as a means of adding more and more names to their voting population. After all, they provide the social grant money ... so vote for them and keep it going.
This all sounds so cynical I know but unfortunately I believe it’s true, and I don’t know what the answer is.
Is there a possibility that schools might not step in and have a teacher, maybe teaching biology/life science, who can counsel these girls and give them the necessary contraceptives?
That might be one way of enabling a child to get help and then be able to complete her education.
As you say, Barbie, I don’t hold my breath! Cry my beloved country. You are breaking my heart.
Cape Times
* Do you have something on your mind; or want to comment on the big stories of the day? We would love to hear from you. Please send your letters to [email protected]