Factors Contributing to Teenage Pregnancy in South Africa: The Case of Matjitjileng Village

Teenage pregnancy in South Africa is growing rapidly among school-going pupils and it leads to school drop-out as the teenage mothers have to leave school to care for their babies. Teenage mothers add to the number of women who are illiterate. In Matjitjileng village, pregnancy among young people has reached pandemic heights. It seems lack of communication between parents and their children exacerbates the problem. The residents of this village still have the misconception that it is taboo to talk about sex with young people. This research investigated the causes and effects of teenage pregnancy in Matjitjileng Village, a sub-rural area situated in the Mogalakwena Municipality in Waterberg District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study found that most of the teenagers fell pregnant at the age of 16 and 19 years. Almost all of them fall pregnant because of lack of parental guidance and role models in the village. Most of them were influenced by their peers who fell pregnant at an early age and were ignorant about contraceptives. The study suggested radical programs that are aimed at the reduction of teenage pregnancy and the holding of workshops that encourage abstinence and preventative measures against this scourge.