MEC leads anti-abortion march in PMB
Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo is leading a march against illegal abortions in Pietermaritzburg today.
His department says more than 20 000 women have been admitted to various hospitals in KZN since 2014 as a result of incomplete abortions.
Officials say more than 1 000 women were treated for septic abortions.
Sexual healthcare organisation Marie Stopes says women wanting to have abortions should ensure the institutions they choose have a fixed address and a valid landline number.
If not it says they could be back-street establishments.
The organisation's Andrea Thompson says abortions without follow-ups are probably illegal.
''It's a mistake that these people advertise quite freely on just about every street corner. It's important that the government does what they're doing, which is create awareness.
''Police services have to make sure that they're not advertising because what happens is, every time they post one of those posters up, is they run the risk of putting other women at risk,'' she said.
(File photo: Nushera Soodyal)