PRETORIA, November 11, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Today, the South African National Assembly passed, without debate, the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill. The controversial bill will allow nurses to commit abortions. It will also deregulate control of abortion and allow provincial health ministers to make regulations for the implementation of abortion laws in their own provinces. South African President Thabo Mbeki’s signature is the final requirement for the bill’s enactment. Earlier this month, the National Council of Provinces also approved the Bill.
Pro-Life groups and organizations representing health care workers fiercely opposed the legislation. In addition, public opinion surveys have demonstrated massive public opposition to the measure. A recent poll by Research Surveys found 86% of the public opposed to the notion of nurses performing abortions.
DENOSA, the Nurses Union which represents nurses on both sides of the abortion debate, has expressed concerns that the law will place an unreasonable burden on nurses and drive more of them out of the public sector. There are fears that the proposed law may increase pressure on nurses to participate in abortions and violate their constitutional right to conscientious objection.
The South African national group Pro-Life has vowed to continue to fight the legislation and has called on President Thabo Mbeki not to sign this law which will harm women, nurses and babies. Jhw