Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has welcomed 12 babies born on Christmas Day at Thembisa Hospital, Ekurhuleni.
ONE hundred eighty-four babies were born on Christmas Day in Gauteng.
Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko celebrated 12 babies born at Thembisa Hospital in Ekurhuleni.
She visited the hospital with Home Affairs deputy minister Njabulo Nzuza and Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza to welcome the babies and their mothers.
From left: Deputy minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza, Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza and Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko congratulate one of the mums at Thembisa Hospital.
Gifts were given to the mums, and the first baby, a girl born at 00.12 am, was immediately registered.
The MEC emphasised the importance of immunisation, with services free at public clinics. Deputy minister Nzuza urged parents to register their babies with Home Affairs to access services.
Additionally, the MEC reopened the updated Female Medical Ward 12 at Thembisa Hospital, featuring new facilities.
EThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba, KZN Premier Thami Ntuli, and KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Ngidi with one of the mums and her newborn.
KZN Province Joyful Yet Wary as 47 Christmas Babies Arrive KZN celebrated the birth of 47 babies on Christmas Day, Wednesday, 25 December 2024.
However, concerns grew as officials noted that three of the new mothers were underage, aged just 14 to 15 years old.
Among the newborns, there are 21 boys and 26 girls, greeted with joy across healthcare facilities in the province.
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli and Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi visited Victoria Mxenge Hospital in Durban to meet some of the babies.
“Our main reason for visiting was positive, to welcome these new lives during Christmas, a significant day marking the birth of Jesus Christ, and to thank health workers for their dedication,” said the premier.
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While expressing gratitude for the healthy babies, Ntuli shared deep concerns about the underage mums.
“The fact that a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old are among the new mothers, potentially impregnated by older men, indicates societal issues,” he said.
Ntuli urged the community to address this problem, emphasising the role of families in raising children responsibly to prevent vulnerability.
He also called on men to act responsibly and hoped law enforcement would apprehend the men responsible for impregnating minors. He further appealed to parents to guide their kids wisely.
“We need to instil a sense of responsibility in our children, urging old men to stop these exploitative practices,” Ntuli said.
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