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South African district offers student grants to girls who remain virgins South African district offers student grants to girls who remain virgins
(35 minutes later)
A South African region has launched a grant scheme for girls who remain virgins throughout their university studies, triggering outrage among rights groups. A South African region has launched a grant scheme for girls who remain virgins throughout their university studies, triggering outrage among human rights groups.
The bursary offered in Uthukela, in the south-east of the country near Durban, is the brainchild of municipality’s female mayor, Dudu Mazibujo. The bursary offered in Uthukela, in the south-east of the country near Durban, is the brainchild of the municipality’s female mayor, Dudu Mazibujo.
News of the scheme sparked outrage from civil society groups, with one women’s association branding it unconstitutional.News of the scheme sparked outrage from civil society groups, with one women’s association branding it unconstitutional.
“The bursaries are for young girls who are still virgins,” municipality spokesman Jabulani Mkhonza said. “The bursaries are for young girls who are still virgins,” said a municipality spokesman, Jabulani Mkhonza.
“It’s a new category which the mayor has introduced this year,” he said, adding that the goal is to encourage “young girls to keep themselves pure and inactive from sexual activity and focus on their studies”. Beneficiaries of the grant will be subjected to regular virginity tests, he added. “It’s a new category which the mayor has introduced this year,” he said, adding that the goal was to encourage “young girls to keep themselves pure and inactive from sexual activity and focus on their studies”. Beneficiaries of the grant would be subjected to regular virginity tests, he added.
Related: Thousands of South African students protest in Pretoria against tuition fees riseRelated: Thousands of South African students protest in Pretoria against tuition fees rise
“Those children who have been awarded bursaries will be checked whenever they come back for holidays. The bursary will be taken away if they lose their virginity,” said Mkhonza.“Those children who have been awarded bursaries will be checked whenever they come back for holidays. The bursary will be taken away if they lose their virginity,” said Mkhonza.
The People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa) group, said it was shocked that taxpayers’ money was being used to violate girls’ rights. The People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa) group said it was shocked that taxpayers’ money was being used to violate girls’ rights.
“Powa is shocked to hear that young girls are being tested for virginity in order to get bursaries ... it’s a violation of their rights,” the group’s executive director Nonhlanhla Mokwena said. “Powa is shocked to hear that young girls are being tested for virginity in order to get bursaries ... it’s a violation of their rights,” the group’s executive director, Nonhlanhla Mokwena, said.
Many South Africans from poor backgrounds rely on government grants to get through university. Planned university fee hikes last year provoked sometimes violent protests nationwide. Many South Africans from poor backgrounds rely on government grants to get through university. Planned increases in university feeslast year provoked occasionally violent protests nationwide.