Virginity Bursaries to be banned

The DA will ask the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate a KZN mayor for introducing the "Maiden Bursary Award".
In a statement released today, the party's spokeswoman, Nomsa Marchesi, said the SAHRC should investigate UThukela District Mayor Dudu Mazibuko for giving bursaries from the municipality to sixteen virgins on condition they remain "pure".
The bursaries came with the condition that the young women undergo virginity testing every holiday. If it was found that they were no longer virgins, the bursary would be taken away.
The bursaries were given to the girls on 11 January during the Mayoral Matric Excellence Awards, where 100 matrics, including those who were not virgins, received awards for excelling in their matric exams.
Marchesi said: This is an abuse of state power and needs to be investigated to determine whether it is constitutionally sound."
Marchesi said the party viewed virginity testing as an "invasive practice that strips young women of their dignity, freedom of privacy and choice, and instills in them a fear of being ostracised and embarrassed for their personal choices, or unfortunate circumstances such as rape".
“While the DA respects that virginity testing may be part of certain cultural practices, it is inexplicable that a government department can subject young girls to such an invasive practice under duress because they are desperate to obtain bursaries and accessing opportunities.
"Governments’ responsibility is to educate communities about sexual health matters, not to intimidate them into complying with practices that compromise their right to dignity," said Marchesi