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The Eastern Cape welcomed 239 New Year’s Day babies. Of the new arrivals, 122 are girls and 117 are boys.
The first baby to arrive on New Year's Day was born at 12.37 am at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, East London.
Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane and MEC for Health Nomakhosazana Meth visited Uitenhage Provincial Hospital in Nelson Mandela and handed out gifts to New Year’s Day babies.
The Premier and MEC also handed out gifts to 22 babies born towards the end of 2022 who are still in hospital.
“We congratulate the mothers on successfully giving birth and welcome the children because they are a gift from God,” said the Premier.
MEC Meth agreed.
“We are here to celebrate the newborns, the new year and the new everything. We are very happy. We congratulate the mothers and fathers,” she said.
MEC Meth expressed concern, however, that of the new mothers, 38 are teenagers with the youngest being three 14-year-olds.
The MEC called on everyone to play their part in ending teenage pregnancy, saying where abuse is suspected, authorities should be notified.
“There is no way that a 13-year-old or 14-year-old can legally consent to sex,” MEC Meth said.
