Every year, thousands of South African girls under the age of 16 fall pregnant. Behind many of those
pregnancies lies a disturbing reality: the possibility of statutory rape. Yet despite the scale of the problem, questions are being raised about whether those responsible are ever being investigated or prosecuted. The Democratic Alliance has now taken its concerns to the South African Human Rights Commission, alleging that government departments, schools, social workers, healthcare professionals and law enforcement agencies are failing to report and act son cases involving underage pregnancies. The party argues that what should trigger criminal investigations is too often treated as a social issue, allowing perpetrators to escape accountability while vulnerable children remain unprotected. Tonight, we unpack the DA's complaint, the legal obligations of professionals who encounter child pregnancies, and whether South Africa's systems are failing the very children they are meant to protect.

Every year, thousands of South African girls under the&nbsp;age of 16 fall pregnant. Behind many of those pregnancies lies a disturbing reality: the possibility of&nbsp;statutory rape. Yet despite the scale of the problem,&nbsp;questions are being raised about whether those&nbsp;responsible are ever being investigated or prosecuted.&nbsp;The Democratic Alliance has now taken its concerns to&nbsp;the South African Human Rights Commission, alleging&nbsp;that government departments, schools, social workers,&nbsp;healthcare professionals and law enforcement agencies&nbsp;are failing to report and act son cases involving&nbsp;underage pregnancies. The party argues that what&nbsp;should trigger criminal investigations is too often treated&nbsp;as a social issue, allowing perpetrators to escape&nbsp;accountability while vulnerable children remain&nbsp;unprotected. Tonight, we unpack the DA's complaint, the&nbsp;legal obligations of professionals who encounter child&nbsp;pregnancies, and whether South Africa's systems are failing the very children they are meant to protect.

METRO FM Talk with Faith Mangope