Bundles of joy: Gauteng welcomes 217 Christmas babies as numbers climb
Bulelwa Hoala
- A total of 217 babies were born at public health facilities across Gauteng during the first 12 hours of Christmas Day, from midnight to midday.
- Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza visited Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital, congratulating mothers and handing out baby essentials.
- The MEC urged parents to prioritise breastfeeding, immunisation and birth registration, while also calling on communities to help curb teenage pregnancy and report child abuse.
The Gauteng Department of Health recorded 217 babies born at public health facilities across the province during the first 12 hours of Christmas Day, Thursday, 25 December 2025, from midnight to midday.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, visited Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital on Thursday morning, where they congratulated the new mothers and gifted them with baby essentials.
Nkomo-Ralehoko emphasised the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and routine immunisation and urged parents to register their newborns with the Department of Home Affairs within 30 days.
Referring to an incident of a 16-year-old mother at the hospital, Nkomo-Ralehoko also highlighted the department’s continued commitment to working with schools, parents, and community stakeholders to curb teenage pregnancy.
“I appeal to every parent and community member to report any form of sexual abuse or adults who take advantage of children. Keeping our children safe is a responsibility we all share,” she said.
According to the department, a final update on the total number of births, including data from 24-hour clinics across the province, will be released today, Friday, 26 December 2025.
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