I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the Council I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the Council -
1) notes that more than 21 000 legal abortions were performed in the Free State in 2011 alone, a shocking increase from the 16 400 recorded in the previous year;
2) further notes that the Free State figure of 21 994 makes up more than 28% of the 77 771 abortions performed in the entire South Africa in 2011 despite the Free State having only 5,7% of the population;
3) notes that the figures, according to the Minister of Health, does not include terminations made at back-yard and private clinics;
4) notes that something is very wrong in the Free State and the situation of rape and abuse could contribute to the increase in abortions; and
(5) notes that the Free State, with an HIV prevalence rate of 21,6%, is among South Africa's worst affected provinces and it seems that the frightening HIV figures have done little to persuade people to become sexually responsible.