KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has welcomed dozens of New Year babies born across the province while sounding a strong warning over persistently high levels of child and teenage pregnancy.
Simelane provided an update on New Year’s Day at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Phoenix, Durban, stating that by 7am, the province had recorded 63 births, consisting of 31 girls and 32 boys.
By 10am, the figure had climbed to 90 babies, with an equal split of 45 girls and 45 boys.
“This gives us a tie of 45 a piece. It means this is a draw. Currently, there are 45 girls and 45 boys,” she stated.
The first baby of 2026, a baby boy, was born at Queen Nandi Regional Hospital to a 31-year-old mother. He weighed 1.8kg at birth.
Just two minutes later, another baby boy was delivered at RK Khan Hospital to a 37-year-old mother.
The third New Year baby was born at 12.26am at Nseleni Hospital to a 26-year-old mother, while the fourth arrived at 12.43am at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where a total of four New Year’s Day births were recorded.
Simelane said that her department would continue releasing updates as more information becomes available.
While welcoming the new arrivals, Simelane said the province remained deeply troubled by the age profile of some mothers.
Province’s youngest moms
She revealed that on Christmas Day alone, KwaZulu-Natal recorded 302 births—166 girls and 136 boys—with 70 of the mothers being teenagers.
The youngest were three 15-year-old girls. In one case, a 32-year-old man impregnated a 16-year-old girl.
For New Year’s Day, the youngest mothers were two 16-year-olds who gave birth at Benedictine Hospital and Queen Nandi Regional Hospital, respectively.
In both cases, the fathers were 21 years old. Alarmingly, both girls were just 15 years old when they fell pregnant.
Simelane further disclosed that the province recorded a total of nine teenage mothers on New Year’s Day.
This included one 17-year-old at Newcastle Provincial Hospital; four 18-year-olds at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, Mseleni Hospital, and Queen Nandi Regional Hospital; as well as two 19-year-olds at Mahatma Gandhi and Eshowe hospitals.
“These statistics are a cause for deep concern and emphasise the need to continue providing education, guidance, and access to reproductive healthcare for teenagers,” said Simelane.
Meanwhile, the health department of the Northern Cape reports the birth of 20 babies—10 boys and 10 girls—in the province.
Oreokame Matsoso, a boy who weighed 3600g at birth, was the first baby born in the province’s hospitals at 12.07am.
