Advice a touch too much?

Medical students studying abroad should masturbate to avoid unwanted pregnancies, pastor and KwaZulu-Natal MPL Vusi Dube yesterday.

He told the more than 200 students on a month-long break from their studies in Cuba: "If it means that there are pictures in your room and [you] turn to them in times of need, then so let it be [sic]."

Earlier, KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo recommended "forced birth control" for medical students studying in India.

Dhlomo said pregnant students could study at South African universities but Cuban universities sent pregnant students home. A student from KwaZulu-Natal had been sent home because he impregnated a classmate from the Free State.

"In terms of the contract, both students had to return to South Africa. And now they are sitting at home with just a matric," he said.

When asked why the department had offered contraceptive Implanon, a matchstick-size rod inserted in the arm to prevent one from falling pregnant, to 13 students before they jetted off to India rather than  preaching abstinence, Dhlomo said there were students who had made a choice to have sex.

"We have spoken to them about abstinence but for those that made their choice that they are not going to abstain, then we are saying to them that there are other options available. We would love to see them abstain. We want that but how many are doing that."

Fifth-year medical student Nonhlanhla Zuma, from Pietermaritzburg, yesterday said Dhlomo's advice was "really needed".

But she would not explain why.

Zuma said she was not forced to take a contraceptive when she left for Cuba in 2009 or when she arrived in South Africa a month ago.

Edward Sibiya, also a fifth-year student from Pietermaritzburg, said South African students were judged collectively when one of them got into trouble.

Two students were expelled after they stole a bank card and withdrew R200.

Another student, who had been reprimanded several times for drunken disorderly behaviour, was kicked out after he was found in possession of drugs and damaged university property when he refused to show his student identity card to guards.

Dhlomo said the South African government was awaiting the incident report from the university.

Another student was expelled for "disciplinary issues" while three others were sent back home because they could not cope academically.

A Durban student was sent home for a year to recover from tuberculosis.