Obstetric Violence in South Africa | Johannesburg News

It’s wild out here, fam. Nearly two million women in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces endured physical, emotional, or verbal abuse during childbirth over the past decade—roughly 60% of all births in those areas. Most didn’t realize it was wrong, and few reported it. This isn’t new: similar accounts from nearly 30 years ago sound eerily familiar. The trauma doesn’t end at delivery—it shatters trust in healthcare, affecting everything from baby vaccinations to future care. Now, health officials are rolling out mandatory online training on respectful maternity care for everyone from doctors to security guards, aiming to embed dignity into every level of care. Plus, a simple fix—letting women have a support person during labor—is already in national guidelines but still resisted; it could boost accountability without extra cost. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://www.sowetan.co.za/news/2026-09-14-childbirth-abuse-is-rife-so-why-dont-we-see-it/ More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c71a3f88aa3e10b3 Report issues to [email protected].