New Year celebrations were marked by hundreds of births across the country, including mothers as young as 14 and 17 delivering newborns.
Healthcare officials have once again stressed sexual education, community engagement, and early interventions to reduce teenage pregnancies. They also aim to support young families.
This comes as hundreds of mothers gave birth to new bundles of joy to ring in the New Year.
Teenage pregnancies remain a concern
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said two 16-year-old girls gave birth to babies at Benedictine Hospital in Nongoma and Queen Nandi Regional Hospital in Empangeni.
Simelane expressed her disappointment with the number of children having children at a young age.
“This is also something that disturbs us the most. So, since the sun hasn’t set, we have 21 young mums,” the MEC said.
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“This is very disturbing. We can’t win this war alone, but we will win it by cooperating with the community.”
She urged the community and parents to cooperate.
By about 3 pm, the KZN Health Department reported that public facilities in the province had delivered 179 babies. This included 91 girls and 88 boys.
Hundreds of babies welcomed on New Year’s Day
The first child, a boy weighing 1.8 kg, was born at Queen Nandi Hospital. The fourth baby was born at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Phoenix, Durban, at 12:43 am.
Nomzamo Gumede, 33, who gave birth to a baby girl, said she felt elated.
“I am very happy to see Simelane, who brought us children’s gifts. And the good care we received from the hospital, thank you very much,” she said.
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Mpumalanga Health MEC Sasekani Manzini raised concern for the high number of teenage pregnancies in the province. She said it needs serious intervention.
Manzini said a 14-year-old mother gave birth at Themba Hospital in Kabokweni. A 16-year-old mother also gave birth at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela.
The Mpumalanga health department had a total of three teenage mother deliveries. This included a 17-year-old girl who gave birth at Standerton Hospital.
Causes of teen pregnancies
“As the Mpumalanga Department of Health, we still perceive teenage pregnancy as a societal scourge that needs to be curbed, and working together with our sister departments and other stakeholders, we continue to do everything in our power to root out this challenge,” the department said.
“The causes of teenage pregnancy stem from issues such as alcohol consumption by young people, statutory rape, and also, older men taking advantage of young girls.”
As of 10 am, the province had a total of 50 births (23 males and 27 females).
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The first baby was born at Witbank Hospital at 12:05 am. The baby boy, delivered by a 24-year-old mother, weighed 2.8kg.
A 23-year-old mother delivered the second baby, a 2.98kg girl, at 12:33 am at Tonga Hospital.
Shongwe Hospital in Kamatsamo has one set of twins, and one macerated stillborn happened at Evander Hospital.
196 born in Gauteng
The Gauteng health department recorded 196 births in public hospitals and community health centres on New Year’s Day. Among these figures, 90 were boys, and 106 were girls, including two sets of twins.
During a visit to Leratong Hospital, Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said society needs to join hands in tackling the issue of teenage pregnancy.
She said the department has intensified efforts to bring key stakeholders on board. This includes the religious community to confront this pressing concern.
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“Working with religious leaders and sister departments of Education and Social Development, we will continue doing our part to educate learners about teenage pregnancy,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
“In the coming weeks, we will be visiting schools across the province as part of a back-to-school campaign to provide learners with sexual education and address other related issues affecting them.”
Free State reported 44 births (24 boys, 20 girls) province-wide as of 3 pm. Bongani Regional Hospital in Welkom recorded the highest number of births so far, with seven. Diamant District Hospital reported the latest delivery.
Free State bundles of joy
The first bundle of joy arrival came from Bongani Regional Hospital. Kefuwe Motaung (27) from Odendaalsrus welcomed a baby girl, weighing 2.795kg, at 12:20 am.
The second birth came from Elizabeth Ross District Hospital in Phuthaditjhaba. Rethabile Mofokeng (23) from QwaQwa welcomed a baby boy, 2.5kg.
Health MEC Monyatso Mahlatsi emphasised the importance of helping young mothers, especially school-going girls, return to school. He said this will help them pursue their dreams and aspirations.
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He encouraged the young moms at Albert Nzula Hospital to make use of available prevention methods to avoid repeat pregnancies. He also urged them to take good care of their children.
In Limpopo, a baby girl became the first newborn of the day at Voortrekker Hospital in Mokopane. She arrived at 12:02 am.
The Northern Cape health department reported 20 births between midnight and midday. Galeshewe Day Hospital in Kimberley welcomed the first male newborn at 12:07 am, weighing 3.6kg.
The Western Cape reported 28 babies at health facilities as of 12:53 pm.
The first birth of 2026 was a baby boy, born at midnight at Mowbray Maternity Hospital in Cape Town. The mother is Geneva Claasen. Of the 28 babies, 17 are boys, and 11 are girls.
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