Two hundred and forty eight babies were born in Limpopo hospitals on New Year’s Day. According to the spokesperson for the Department of Health and Welfare in the province, Mr Phuti Seloba, 135 of them were girls, while 113 were boys.

The first baby was a girl and she was born at Mankweng Hospital at 00:01. The second one was born at the Dr CN Phathudi Hospital, also shortly after midnight. According to Mr Seloba, the youngest mother who gave birth on New Year’s Day in a Limpopo Hospital was 14. She gave birth to a baby boy at the Zebediela Hospital.

Seloba further indicated that his department is deeply concerned about the fact children as young as 14 are giving birth in the province. He stated that that is a clear indication that children are exposing themselves to dangerous sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/Aids, he said.

He appealed to the religious and traditional leaders and other stakeholders to continue preaching the word that unprotected sex is a health hazard. Mr Seloba further indicated that street kids are in most cases the end result of teenage pregnancies.

According to to Mr Seloba, 305 babies were born on Christmas day in hospitals around the province.

The first New Year baby at Tshilidzini Hospital was born at 01:10. Her mother, Ntshavheni Shonisani of Tshiulungoma Village, was quick to mention that the baby’s name is Ompha (Given). She was weighing 3,6kg at the time of her birth.