NC Health under fire over no-show

A WARRANT of arrest was issued for the acting head of the Northern Cape Department of Health after officials failed to appear before the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) this week.

- SANDI KWON HOO

The Chapter 9 institution was in Kimberley to investigate the alarming rate of school dropouts as a result of teenage pregnancies in the province.

SAPS Northern Cape spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane confirmed that the Kimberley Detective Unit was investigating a case of contravention to comply with a notice issued in terms of the Commission for Gender Equality Act.

“A case was registered at the Kimberley police station after an official from a department allegedly failed to appear before the Commission on November 17. The investigation is continuing,” he said.

CGE deputy chairperson Prabashni Subrayan-Naidoo said the Department of Health had confirmed attendance on November 11.

“The department sent a letter of apology on November 12, informing us that they were invited to an oversight visit by the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature in the Frances Baard District. On November 17, the department advised the CGE between 12-1pm that they would be delayed and that they would make an appearance at 3pm.

“However, they did not arrive, and criminal proceedings were instituted,” she said.

CONFLICTING STATISTICS ON TEEN PREGNANCIES

The Northern Cape Department of Education indicated that 7,391 teenagers had fallen pregnant between 2023 and 2025. The majority of pupils were reported to reside in the Frances Baard District, followed by John Taolo Gaetsewe and ZF Mgcawu.

The provincial Department of Social Development (DSD) said it was currently aware of 3,300 teenage pregnancies in the Northern Cape, based on statistics obtained from the Department of Health.