-Staff Writer / Sat, 27 Dec 2025
In Picture : Ms Sophy Pule (23) gave birth at 01:34 on Christmas day at the Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital QwaQwa with her daughter weighing 3,650kg at birth and Professional Nurse M Mokoena-FS Health Dept.
South Africa’s public health facilities welcomed 1,668 babies on Christmas Day in 2025, marking a notable increase from the 1,360 births recorded on the same day last year, the Department of Health announced on Friday.
Departmental spokesperson Foster Mohale said the rise of 308 additional births reflects continued confidence in the country’s public healthcare system. “We are encouraged by the number of safe deliveries recorded across public health facilities on Christmas Day, and we commend healthcare workers who remained on duty to ensure mothers and newborns received quality care,” Mohale said.
According to the department, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto recorded the highest number of Christmas Day births, with 38 newborns, followed closely by Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, which delivered 35 babies. Both facilities are based in Gauteng.
The Department of Health also urged families to ensure that newborns are registered with the Department of Home Affairs within 30 days of birth, noting that many hospitals provide birth registration services immediately after delivery.
While celebrating the overall increase in births, the department raised concern over a rise in teenage pregnancies. The number of teenage mothers increased from 90 in 2024 to just over 130 in 2025. Mohale said this trend underscores the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders. “There is a need to intensify sexual and reproductive health awareness campaigns, including family planning, to empower adolescent girls and young women to make informed health choices,” he said.
The department added that improved access to health education could help reduce unintended pregnancies and prevent unsafe, life-threatening abortions.
Provincial breakdown of Christmas Day births:
Eastern Cape – 187
Gauteng – 428
Free State – 88
Limpopo – 182
KwaZulu-Natal – 302
Mpumalanga – 172
North West – 95
Northern Cape – 43
Western Cape – 171
News Junction (Gold Standard)