So what are they trying to say to 12 year olds?

Oh good grief! No 12 year old should have to have an abortion! And to not tell their parents? An abortion is not like going to get a haircut! My sister had an abortion at age 17 and she was devastated, it was the hardest thing she ever had to do and it still affects her to this day, over 10 years later. What will happen to these little girls? And what does it say about SA in general that we had to pass a law like that?

Morally - wrong. But we must be realistic!!!! *ADD* I mean that it is morally wrong as the impression created is that the government is encouraging twelve year olds to engage in sex and then abort pregnancies. But the reality is that these twelve year old kids are engaging in sex. It is parents’ responsibility to try to ensure that their children are not doing such things at that young stage of their lives. But we know that some parents are so irresponsible but once their kids have fallen pregnant, the first finger pointing is the government. The only thing the government does is to make services accessible. It is also a fact that unless the government makes it legal that those who are at a risk of falling pregnant have access to preventive and corrective services, our people would resort to backstreet service providers. That is more dangerous. Based on these, I understand the rationale behind the legislation. My only real concern is that such steps could be taken without a parent’s consent. But that doesn’t mean that I support it. I only wish I could provide a better alternative, but I don’t have.

Hope this is not happening in SA and even if not it's still totally off sides, how sick society has become.

Sjoe, this is really terrible. But then again, (and I am NOT for abortion and certainly NOT for 12 year olds to have sex.....) I think what Zim$ means and I do not want to answer for him, but a 12 year old girl is still a child. The body hasn't even developed as it should!!!! I mean, the chance of the girl not even having her first period is a possibility. Now when a girl of 12 falls pregnant, do you know what damage it will do to her body when giving birth? This is an extreme difficult situation, I would rather say that parents that's allowing their children to have sex under the age of 16 (which I still think is wrong) should be fined or something..... what is this world coming to?

it upsets me terribly that the government can put a child thru that pain of dealing with an abortion. i have a daughter who turned 5 this year and last night i made the decision that when the time comes i will put her on birth control. and i am not saying that my daughter will sleep around she will have morals and know what is right and what is wrong. But if and i pray that it will never happen, if she gets rapped i don't want her to sit with an unwanted pregnancy, being raped will be hard enough on her and i am not a fan about abortion. i know that i am not making any sense at this stage, i am just a mother who wants to protect her child.

It's absolutely rediculous! At 12 I still played with my dolls, I didn't have any problems like, well, pregnancy, for example!

News flash: whether or not abortion is allowed, men will continue to rape defenseless children. It is not legal for a kid that young to get an abortion in the US without consent, but that has certainly not stopped the abuse.

You have to start seeing Mbeki for what he is - a misguided moron.This type of legislation fits in with all his other "intellectual" thoughts. e.g. HIV doesnt cause AIDS, crime is a perception and all the other banalities that come out his mouth. I am sure he smokes weed in that pipe whilst sinking his Johnny Walker Blue. He may well have attended University in the UK but what you dont know is that it was an academic disaster at the time he went and that they had to rename it and rebuild its image to get back some of its credibility. This legislation as with others e.g. Gay Marriages does not take into account the social situation South Africa finds itself in and the ANC should be focussed on bread and butter issues rather than meddling in issues they cna make no worthwhile contribution to. The problem that may arise,despite your correct feelings, is that some 12 years old may challenge the Parents in a Court of Law and win.

What they are saying is, "I don't want to know my spoiled, rich brat destined to go into politics is pregnant at 12." So they have made it easier to allow their spoiled children to get outta trouble without daddies help or involvment