A 15-year-old gave birth to a baby girl in Limpopo.
At least four provinces across the country have welcomed the arrival of new born babies on Christmas Day.
At least 33 babies babies have so far been delivered in Limpopo, Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba has confirmed.
According to the Health MEC, there were 18 boys and 15 girls born in the first hours of Monday, 25 December.
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The Mopani district welcomed the most babies, with the figure standing at eight as per the preliminary statistics.
The first Christmas baby, a girl who weighed 1.9 kilogrammes, was delivered just after midnight at the Malamulele Hospital. The mother was only 15 years old.
Teens give birth
Ramathuba indicated that among the people who gave birth were 10 teenagers, which she said was concerning.
She regarded this as statutory rape and urged community members to address teenage pregnancy.
“That’s why you hear me continuously raising this issue of teenage girls being violated and raped because that is statutory rape… it is straight forward,” the MEC told SABC News at Mankweng Hospital.
She called on families of the teens to open rape cases against men with the South African Police Service (Saps).
“This is a message we need to [send out] especially [to] the parents. If you speak to the nurses here they’ll tell you that even if they call the police to open a case, the parents will come and say this guy has paid the damages this guy is our breadwinner and that is why this problem continues.
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“So if we reach that [stage] wherein we see one man, who has impregnated a 15-year-old, being successfully prosecuted [for statutory rape] and [sentenced] for a long period in jail, you’ll see it will stop,” Ramathuba said.
“The reason why crime doesn’t stop is because those who continue to commit crime are all over the streets running around freely.
“We need to work together [as] the Department of Health [with] the South African Police Service, Social Development and Basic Education. Our teachers must also assist us when they pick up signs of sexual abuse at school. We need to protect the girl child,” she added.
Other provinces
Mpumalanga Health MEC Sasekani Manzini also confirmed to SABC News the births of three babies at the Middleburg Hospital.
Six babies – three girls and three boys – were delivered at Tambo Memorial Hospital in Gauteng on Christmas Day, according to Boksburg Advertiser.
Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko visited Sebokeng Hospital in Sedibeng on Monday.
Additionally, eight babies were born at the Queen Nandi Hospital in Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
Speaking to eNCA during his visit at the hospital, Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Njabulo Nzuza urged the mothers to register their babies as soon as possible.
“We are running a campaign for any birth registration where we have opened Home Affairs offices in hospitals to make sure that mothers can register the birth of children,” he said.
Nzuza confirmed the eight mothers would leave the Queen Nandi Hospital with birth certificates of their babies.
“We encourage all mothers to give their children the right of citizenship by making sure that they register the birth of their children within 30 days,” the deputy minister added.
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