Blessers and teachers impregnate more than 11,000 Limpopo pupils

More than 11 000 pupils in Limpopo are pregnant and teachers and blessers are said to be responsible for most of these pregnancies.

Blessers are adult men who shower young girls with gifts but often disappear when the girl falls pregnant.

Last year, the South African Council of Educators (Sace) reported that 11 teachers from across the country were fired after they were found guilty on various charges related to sexual offences. Most of them, the organisation said, were fired for sexual violence against pupils.

Currently, there are 11 287 pregnant pupils in schools across Limpopo’s five districts. Most of those who are pregnant are said to be between 10 and 19 years old.

Responding to a parliamentary question by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in June this year, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the statistics were taken between April 2021 and March this year.

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DA MP Desiree van der Walt, said yesterday the department of basic education had introduced the basic education pregnancy policy, which compels schools to submit a police report if a girl pupil under the age of 16 falls pregnant. This includes “rapes of pupils where [teachers] are the alleged accused”, she said.

The lawmaker said the DA was, however, concerned that many cases were still not reported to the South African Police Service (Saps).

According to crime statistics provided by the Saps in Limpopo recently, there has been a 6.7% increase in sexual offences during the fourth quarter of 2021. The province recorded 1 084 sexual offences. Thohoyandou had an increase of 8.2%, Mankweng 14.3% and Giyani 24.3%.

In May, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola indicated that nationally, only 19% of sexual offences cases were moving through the system, Van Der Walt said. The remaining 15 605 cases, or 81%, were backlogged.

Van Der Walt said her party was concerned that victims who were brave enough to report cases would eventually withdraw these.

Recently, a Grade 12 pupil from Mulautsi Secondary School outside Polokwane gave birth to triplets. The girl was among 28 pregnant pupils at the school. This year, former MEC for basic education in Limpopo Polly Boshielo said the youngest pregnant pupil in Limpopo last year was just 13 years old.

An 18-year-old former Grade 12 pupil in N’wamitwa, outside Tzaneen, told The Citizen she had dated a blesser.

“At first he would shower me with expensive gifts and romantic dinners. But since I told him I am pregnant, he vanished into thin air. At least still sends me money,” she said.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union provincial secretary in Limpopo, Sowell Tjebane, slammed the figures and said yesterday teachers who prey on young girls must know that the law will not be lenient on them and their place is behind bars.

– news@citizen.co.za