12-year-old among those who gave birth on New Year's Day

Over 650 babies on New Year's Day

By 5 pm on Wednesday, more than 306 boys and 323 girls were welcomed in hospitals across the country.

In a statement, the department says a 12-year-old girl from the Eastern Cape is among the mothers who gave birth.

"The Department welcomes swift response by the Eastern Cape Health MEC, Ntandokazi Capa to investigate the circumstances which resulted in the pregnancy of this first youngest mother of the year. This follows a similar action taken in Limpopo which led to the arrest of a man who allegedly impregnated a 13-year-old girl," says national Health spokesperson Foster Mohale. 

In KwaZulu-Natal, over 117 babies had been welcomed across the province by Wednesday evening.

"We did have a couple of mothers who are teenagers. We want to say to communities that there is no way that as government on our own. We are going to come up with a program that does away with teenage pregnancies, says Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane.

At the same time, in the North West, Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has ordered an investigation into possible statutory rape after a 16-year-old girl gave birth at a health facility in Vryburg. 

According to the Mokgosi's office, this was the girl's second pregnancy. 

Meanwhile, in Limpopo, a 28-year-old man who allegedly fathered the child of a 13-year-old girl is expected back in the Seshego Magistrates Court next month. 

He faces charges of statutory rape and sexual grooming of a minor. 

The teenager was among three 13-year-olds in the province who gave birth on Christmas Day. 

It's reported that the man and the teenager met at a local shopping complex early last year and started communicating before the alleged abuse occurred in May 2024. 

Additional reporting by Masechaba Sefularo

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