TERMINATE THE SHAME WHY WE NEED TO NORMALISE SAFE ABORTIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Terminating a pregnancy in South Africa has been legal for about 24 years — a reproductive right almost as old as our democracy. Yet, this is often rendered a shame. When not spoken about in hushed tones behind closed doors, the word “abortion” is bellowed at pro-life marches in a string of sentences consisting of judgemental adjectives.

If you have ever walked along or driven through any major city’s central business district or a small town’s main road, one of the first vivid images that may come to mind is that of blue and white A4-sized flyers generously littered across the walls and pavements. These posters display anonymous numbers of faceless practitioners who claim that they can remove a foetus out of your womb in a “fast, pain-free” procedure. You have to think that the less-than-sanitary conditions where we often stumble upon these “unofficial business