Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
LUPANE District in Matabeleland North Province continues to face growing concern over rising teenage pregnancies, school dropouts and new HIV-related social vulnerabilities, with community leaders urging parents and guardians to take stronger responsibility for protecting children from social ills.
The warning follows concerns recently raised by the National Aids Council (NAC) over increasing teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among girls aged 15 and 19 in St Paul’s Ward, despite the district recording a decline in overall HIV incidence and prevalence.
Speaking on the sidelines of a field day held last Friday, Regent Chief Mabhikwa, Ms Zanele Khumalo,
said communities must urgently confront the growing number of children abandoning school at a very early age.
“I would like to take this opportunity to speak to village heads and elders to say, here in Lupane, we have a huge problem, children are now dropping out of school. We appeal to parents to say, let the children go back to school,” she said.
Chief Mabhikwa said some children are leaving school as early as Grade Five, exposing them to crime, unsafe mining activities and sexual exploitation.
“Don’t allow children to stay home. From Grade Five, children are no longer going to school, and as parents, you allow that. These are the children who become criminals tomorrow, some going to mines where they risk their lives,” she said.
Chief Mabhikwa also raised concern over child marriages and urged village heads to ensure that young girls who fall pregnant are returned to school instead of being pushed into marriage.
“We appeal to village heads to start at village level, because tomorrow we will blame you if you allow parents to send children to marriages,” she said.
Chief Mabhikwa said children between 12 and 16 years in some communities are getting pregnant, with some also testing positive for HIV.
“Please report to the police, because what made me say this, is that here at St Luke’s and the whole of Lupane, we still have a high rate of teenage pregnancies, from 12 to 16 years, with these children also being HIV-positive,” she said.
The chief urged communities to support children living with grandparents while parents are away in neighbouring countries.
“It takes a community to raise a child. Let us help each other in taking care of our children,” she said.
According to figures previously released by the NAC, St Paul Ward recorded about 66 teenage pregnancies in 2024, rising to more than 69 in 2025 among girls aged 15 to 19.
Cases of sexually transmitted infections in the same age group increased from 24 in 2024 to 50 in 2025.
Chief Mabhikwa questioned why perpetrators responsible for impregnating minors were not being brought before the courts.
“We also appeal to law enforcement agencies to say, these children who are being impregnated, the perpetrators are not in prison. We ask ourselves why they are not behind bars because we are talking about 12-year-olds here,” she said.
She proposed a community awareness campaign under the slogan #NotInMyVillage to mobilise local action against child marriages and abuse.
Lupane East legislator, Cde Phathisiwe Machangu, supported the call, saying offenders must be held accountable under the law.
“I also ask the same question, why are those who impregnate these children not in prison? We call on all community leaders and Government workers to find out why these children are being sent to marriages and why children are not going to school,” she said.
Cde Machangu also warned against drug and substance abuse, saying it is worsening the vulnerability of young people in rural communities.
“We also urge our youths not to partake in drug and substance abuse, because this has affected the future of our children,” she said.
Cde Machangu said sustained collaboration between families, schools, chiefs, police and social services is now critical if Lupane is to reverse the worrying social trend.
