Research by Khulisa Social Solutions, in collaboration with the Musina Municipality, has revealed that teenage pregnancy is only one visible symptom of a far deeper, interconnected youth crisis facing the community. 

 The findings were presented at a Teenage Pregnancy Awareness Event at Dzimauli Secondary School on 6 May 2026, following a series of structured engagements with learners, educators, and youth from the surrounding community. 

Over the course of the engagements, Khulisa Social Solutions consulted with: 

• 180 learners 

• 13 teachers and educators 
• Youth participants from the surrounding community 

What emerged from the research was clear: teenage pregnancy cannot be viewed as an isolated behavioural issue. Rather, it is linked to a wider ecosystem of vulnerability affecting young people in Musina, including: 

• Substance abuse 

• School dropout 

• Gender-based violence 

• Crime and exploitation 

• Mental health pressures and trauma 

• Long-term economic exclusion 

The findings revealed that many young people understand the risks they face. However, awareness alone is insufficient when the systems surrounding them are fragmented and disconnected. 

The research identified multiple interconnected drivers contributing to youth vulnerability, including: 

• Economic hardship and transactional relationships 

• Weak family and caregiver support systems 

• Peer pressure and social normalisation of risky behaviour 

• Limited psychosocial support structures 

• Lack of safe youth engagement spaces 

• Weak referral and follow-through systems 

• Fragmented institutional responses 

• Limited coordination between stakeholders and government departments 

• Low levels of accountability amongst boys and young men 

Importantly, the research found that Musina is not without services. Schools, clinics, NGOs, social workers, and government departments are all present. The challenge is that these systems often operate independently rather than as part of a coordinated support ecosystem. 

As a result, vulnerable young people continue to fall through institutional gaps. The findings point to the urgent need for: 

• Stronger interdepartmental coordination 

• Integrated referral systems 

• Youth-safe spaces and after-school support 

• Greater family and caregiver involvement 

• Community-wide collaboration 

• Behavioural accountability programmes targeting boys and young men 

• Long-term ecosystem-based interventions rather than fragmented short-term programmes 

Further stakeholder engagements and Dialogue Circles will now follow to deepen the research and collectively develop sustainable intervention pathways informed directly by lived experience. 

Speaking at the engagement, Dr Lesley Ann Van Selm, Founder and Managing Director of Khulisa Social Solutions, said: 

“We went into this process looking at teenage pregnancy, but what young people showed us is that the issue is much bigger. These challenges are interconnected, and the response must be interconnected too. If systems remain fragmented, young people will continue falling through the cracks.” 

For media enquiries or further information: 

Dr Lesley Ann Van Selm 
Founder and Managing Director 
Khulisa Social Solutions 
082 601 2299 
lesleyann@khulisa.org.za