TEMBISA police are concerned about the rising number of illegal abortions reported at police stations in recent weeks.
Six cases of illegal abortion have been reported over the past six weeks.
Police spokesman captain Manyadza Ralidzhivha said the foetuses were found in rubbish dumps, drains and streams in the township.
He said: "This is an alarming number, considering the fact that people's lives are at risk. We feel that if the perpetrators are caught there should be a heavy sentences against them with the hope that people will stop doing these illegal abortions and consider going to registered clinics.
"We feel helpless. The community is our only link to this problem. We appeal to the community to work together with the police. That is the only way we can identify perpetrators."
Marie Stopes Clinic CEO Denise Hunt said concerns around stigma, judgement, confidentiality, cost and a lack of awareness that access to abortion is a legally protected right in South Africa are some of the reasons why women go the illegal route, especially young women and girls who might be most compelled to keep an unwanted pregnancy hidden.
"The ability to carry out abortions without the need of surgical expertise has resulted in an increase of unsafe abortion service providers who only dispense pills to women," Hunt said.
Marie Stopes estimates that the clinic diverted 42 280 unsafe abortions in 2011.
She said most of their patients are between 18 and 35 years old.
Johannah Sekudu, an expert in abortion in the department of social work and criminology at the University of Pretoria, said the problem was that most women preferred to keep the abortion secret.
She said: "Backstreet abortions are quick and anonymous, while at hospitals people have to sit in a consulting room where they are required to open a file ... and women lack family support."
Illegal abortions on the rise
TEMBISA police are concerned about the rising number of illegal abortions reported at police stations in recent weeks.
Six cases of illegal abortion have been reported over the past six weeks.
Police spokesman captain Manyadza Ralidzhivha said the foetuses were found in rubbish dumps, drains and streams in the township.
He said: "This is an alarming number, considering the fact that people's lives are at risk. We feel that if the perpetrators are caught there should be a heavy sentences against them with the hope that people will stop doing these illegal abortions and consider going to registered clinics.
"We feel helpless. The community is our only link to this problem. We appeal to the community to work together with the police. That is the only way we can identify perpetrators."
Marie Stopes Clinic CEO Denise Hunt said concerns around stigma, judgement, confidentiality, cost and a lack of awareness that access to abortion is a legally protected right in South Africa are some of the reasons why women go the illegal route, especially young women and girls who might be most compelled to keep an unwanted pregnancy hidden.
"The ability to carry out abortions without the need of surgical expertise has resulted in an increase of unsafe abortion service providers who only dispense pills to women," Hunt said.
Marie Stopes estimates that the clinic diverted 42 280 unsafe abortions in 2011.
She said most of their patients are between 18 and 35 years old.
Johannah Sekudu, an expert in abortion in the department of social work and criminology at the University of Pretoria, said the problem was that most women preferred to keep the abortion secret.
She said: "Backstreet abortions are quick and anonymous, while at hospitals people have to sit in a consulting room where they are required to open a file ... and women lack family support."
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