Scholarships for virgins: Outrage over South Africa 'maiden's bursary'

Mayor defends scholarships for virgins02:11

Story highlights

• "We are keeping away from boys because we want to achieve our goals," Thube says
• She's one of the teenagers being offered free schooling if she remains a virgin
• District is trying to reduce teen pregnancy rates; mayor says nothing else has worked

Ladysmith, South Africa (CNN)Soon 18-year-old Thubelihle will leave her home in rural KwaZulu-Natal to head by bus to attend university in Pretoria.

Thube, as her friends call her, says her family could not afford college, but help came in the form of a government scholarship offered by the local uThukela municipality, one of 11 districts in KwaZulu-Natal province.

The main requirement -- Thube must remain a virgin.

"We are keeping away from boys because we want to achieve our goals," says Thube
.