A South African minister came under fire from social media users over her message to school girls in a bid to curb teenage pregnancies
Limpopo Health minister Pophi Ramathuba, paid a visit in one of the secondary schools in mid this week whereby she urged the students to abstain from sex.
“To the girl child I say, open your books and close your legs, don’t open your legs, open your books. Thank you very much,” the minister said.
Doctor Phophi Ramathuba who’s also a MEC visited a school in Limpopo this morning telling the girls to close their legs and open their books.
ARE YOU SERIOUS? Is this sex education by our Goverment? Victim Blaming and pushing the narrative? This is disgusting.
@ANCWL_hq @MYANC pic.twitter.com/t2knd61TLS— Women For Change (@womenforchange5) January 12, 2022
“We call on Dr Phophi Ramathuba to apologize for victim blaming and to educate herself on appropriate and effective sex education,” Keep the energy said on twitter.
A section of other social media users said that the message was in the best interest of the school girls.
“Whether we like it or not, it is in the girl’s best interest to keep her legs closed. Girls are not only at risk of being impregnated by their peers but by older men also. Boys can relate better if the message comes from a man. Wise words from Dr Phophi Ramathuba (MD),” Kay-Kay said.
However another user accused the minister of discrimination saying that the girl child does not get pregnant just by herself.
“It is as if the girls get pregnant by themselves. What about the boy who is equally responsible?” Tinda Bandile posed.
Defending herself however, Ramathuba said that her message was taken out of context and said that she equally addressed the boys.
“I told the boys to focus on their education and not sleep with girls,” she said.
She further said that her constituents appreciated the message.
“They were even saying that they were afraid to say these things and thanked me for calling a spade a spade,” the minister added.
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