A culture of unlimited freedom has decayed many African traditional and value systems, and lessened parental guidance, leaving children open to all sorts of abuse and exploitation.
This was said by members of Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training (Adapt) in response to recent revelations by the Department of Basic Education that 21 0000 school girls fell pregnant last year with the highest number in Gauteng, followed by Eastern Cape.
They associated the disappearance of the traditional systems with the failure by society to practice ubuntu principles and the lack of leadership capable and committed to promoting moral regeneration and preventing teenage pregnancies.
Thapelo Rathogo said school girl pregnancies were no longer a shock. “Children are now getting sexually active from a young age from social and TV influences, lack of guidance at home and parents ceding their parenting responsibilities to schools whose only responsible should be education.”
He added that parental guidance has also been replaced by social networking and media which exposes children to explicit and phonographic information with no educational value. This he said while citing that many posters on street poles feature explicit sexual messages, while some promoted abortions. “The posters are placed all over with the knowledge of society and is indicative of the lack of leadership and concern for morals and values protective of our future.”
Seipati Mogorosi said if ubuntu was often practiced, there would be some noticeable change in the conduct, discipline and relationship of children and parents in the home and community in general. “The high number of schoolchildren and teen pregnancies results from the lack of ubuntu in the home and there is a need for children to emulate coping skills in their relationships with others at school, in society and as defence against other social and exploitative ills like sugar daddies.”
She said Adapt is conducting a programme to resuscitate ubuntu by strengthening family unity through open dialogue sessions between parents and children. “We hope this will assist in regenerating morals, compassion and co-existence between males and females and, expose family members and all residents to human rights issues and gender sensitivity.”
Details: Adapt 011 440 4047.
