
The Ulthukela District Municipality in Kwazulu Natal province,has come under fire for offering scholarships to a handful of college age girls,only if they can prove they are virgins.Many critics have branded the bursary as misogynistic and unconstitutional,with Dudu Mazibuko,the district's mayor,being the main target of criticism.Mazibuko however insists the programme sterms from prevalent health issues:in which half the district's young women are either teen mums or infected with HIV.He said ''Two,three our even four children at the age of 25,So we need to do something as a country,as a society.So as a leader in this community,it's my responsibility that we do something for the these young girls''.Despite the backlash,the mayor is fast gaining supporters in other provinces.In Tembisa township in Johannesburg for instance,a virgin group,the Amatshitshi Empela group,fully supports the scheme and hopes to soon be giving out bursaries.For the young women beneficiaries,abstinence has become the only way to win the battle against South Africa's huge teen pregnancy and HIV problem,and despite controversy it's the way they've found to embrace their culture and focus on education.One more photo below.
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