Khalipha is angered by Zesipho’s story. It haunts her, and every time she sees Mr Ngxaka the following week, she feels like strangling him. They are told to write a speech for English orals and are free to choose whichever topic they want. They are to present the speeches at the assembly during the course of a week. When the day comes for Khalipha to deliver her speech, all teachers are gathered at the assembly, including Mr Ngxaka, who has a tendency of missing assembly.

KHALIPHA: Principal, Deputy, and teachers, I would like to extend a warm greeting to you all. I would also like to send warm greetings to you, my schoolmates. Standing in front of you is Khalipha Ngqobela. I am here to deliver a speech under the title ‘Wake Up, South Africa’.

Over the past few months, teenage pregnancy statistics have radically increased. Journalists, parents, teachers, and the government have all been asking themselves the same question: why is this so? Possible reasons have been brought forward, and one of them is the involvement of teenagers in romantic relationships with older men.

We now all think of old men as monsters, the perpetrators of a pandemic that continues to victimise young girls. Yes, we all agree, but who are these perpetrators? Could it be the people we trust? The people who are supposed to take care of us. Our brothers? Employees? Colleagues? Perhaps our teachers?

He told me he loved me. That I was special, nkosazana yakhe. He told me words I had never heard before. He swore he would never coerce me into doing something I wouldn’t want to do. He sat in the dark, looking at me, feeding me lies, knowing they all shot and didn’t miss because I come from a broken family.

He knew he was the only one who would listen to me like a parent would, something I longed for. He knew I would soon fall for him, and when I did, he would get what he had always wanted. He then watched me, after all those promises he made, he watched me fall apart because of his lies. But not only that, he, of course, impregnated someone even younger than me.

And now our parents would ask: why would you not tell me, my child? Forgetting that they are never there. And if they are, they consider the words we utter with our mouths lies. So, what now that sex education hasn’t worked, because the very same educators on the subjects are perpetrators of what they are supposedly trying to prevent?

What now that Zesipho is pregnant? We give her side-eyes in the hallways as the learners and the teachers judge her for misconduct. Shame is on her because the baby is within her, but I know of a greater shame: statutory rape of a drunk learner by a professional who then went on to deny his child. Crucify me as you wish, but answer this question: when will the likes of Mr Ngxaka take responsibility for their shameful actions?

No one in this country is ready to discuss the issue of teenage pregnancy if no one is ready to take action against the perpetrators of teenage pregnancy. The school can judge me for being as gullible as to believe his obvious lies when I had been warned not to, but bear in mind that a learner is pregnant, and Mr Ngxaka is the father. Thank you for your attention.

She then steps off stage, leaving everyone puzzled and Mr Ngxaka frozen with his mouth agape. Realising that all eyes are on him, he quickly runs away, leaving everyone with numerous questions.

Tell us: What did you think of the play?