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File Photo: A pregnant student in uniform
The National Health Department says of the 714 newborn babies were delivered in public health facilities between midnight and midday on Christmas Day.
The first 2025 Christmas baby was welcomed at Elim Hospital in Limpopo at midnight.
Gauteng recorded the highest births in the country at 217 babies.
The health department has expressed concern about the continued scourge of teenage mothers with more than 30 teen mothers recorded so far.
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane says government efforts to curb teenage pregnancy seem to be failing as more babies are being born to underage girls. Simelane says among the mothers are three 15-year-old girls who delivered at hospitals in Durban. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/51DkN7gpHd
— SABC News Radio (@SABCNews_Radio) December 25, 2025
RELATED VIDEO | Gauteng Christmas babies welcomed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2GPsC75ew
WATCH | Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko says teenage pregnancy remains a concern. A 16-year-old is among the seven mothers who welcomed babies on Christmas Day at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital on Gauteng’s East Rand. pic.twitter.com/lOZd4GiEBm
— SABC News (@SABCNews) December 25, 2025
“The department is concerned about the continued scourge of teenage mothers with more than 30 teen mothers recorded so far, who are now expected find themselves juggling the demands of parenthood while still navigating adolescence. A number of provinces have recorded numerous teen girls as young as 15 years old who were amongst Christmas mothers,” says National Health Spokesperson Foster Mohale.
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa has expressed concern that close to 20 of the 70 mothers who gave birth on Christmas Day in the province are teenagers.
Capa says these mothers are aged between 15 and 19 years.
She visited the St Elizabeth Hospital in Lusikisiki to welcome the newborn babies, and to also give them Christmas gifts.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is leading with 31 new borns, followed by twenty in the OR Tambo district and 13 in the Alfred Nzo.
Limpopo’s Health department has expressed concern on the number of teenage mothers. Of the 80 women who have given birth to Christmas babies, 13 are teenagers. pic.twitter.com/FuRDDgGpcm
— SABC News (@SABCNews) December 25, 2025
Capa says they plan to rope in SAPS to deal harshly with those involved in getting underaged girls pregnant.
“In terms of the ages, we do have 15 to 19, sitting at 16 as the total number across the province. It is not something that we are proud of, but all we need to do as the Office of the MEC and the department is to make a follow-up on our facilities to see whether they have done what is expected of them. Because immediately when a 15-year-old comes into our facility, we have the responsibility of reporting to Social Development and also reporting to the police so that we open a case,” says Capa.
RELATED VIDEO | Christmas babies | Teenage pregnancy remains a concern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJL_Bu6HIzA
