The spokesperson for the department, Mondli Mvambi, confirmed that a total number of 65 babies, consisting of 34 boys and 31 girls, were born on New Year’s Day. He says the first baby was welcomed at 00:05 - just after midnight - with two front teeth.

He says the majority of the babies were born in the Mangaung region. “The hospitals that delivered the most babies were the Bongani Hospital in Welkom and the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein, with ten babies each.

North West Health Department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, said 64 babies were born by Monday at about 18:00, with the number almost doubling throughout the night. He says in total 53 boys and 58 girls were delivered. Lekgethwane says they are pleased that all the babies were born healthy.

“Of the new babies, 56 are from the Bojanala Platinum District, Ngaka Modiri Molema District delivered 23, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District had 19 and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District had 13 new babies. We’re also happy to share that a set of twin boys were born in a hospital in the Bojanala District.

We are satisfied that all the babies and their mothers are healthy and we did not have any complications. We welcome all the babies in the new year. We will continue to engage all the mothers and babies to make sure they are healthy,” says Lekgethwane.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Northern Cape Department of Health, Lebogang Motlhaping, has confirmed that 50 new babies, consisting of 33 boys and 17 girls, were born in different hospitals in the province. He says the first baby, weighing 3.2 kilograms, was born at 00:02, just after midnight, in the Dr Harry Surtie Memorial Hospital in Upington.

Motlhaping says the mothers and babies are all in good health and no complications were experienced.

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