Fifty baby boys and 48 baby girls were welcomed to the world between midnight and 3pm on New Year’s Day, bringing the Western Cape’s total of New Year’s babies to 98.
The first baby was born at Mitchells Plain Hospital five seconds into the new year, and weighed a hearty 3.5 kilograms.
The second baby was born at Paarl Hospital at 12.29am, and weighed 2.98 kilograms.
George Hospital recorded the highest number of babies born – delivering 15 new year babies.
As reported by IOL, Health MEC, Nomafrench Mbombo made her way to Tygerberg Hospital to congratulate new moms, and reiterated the importance of registering their babies within the first month of birth.
“I wish them the best with raising these little ones. They are in their most vulnerable stage,” she said.
Mbombo was also accompanied to the hospital by Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Fatima Chohan.
“Since the partnership between the departments of Home Affairs and Health, birth registration figures have improved. But we are still finding children that are not being registered within the first 30 days,” she said. “The worst fate for any child is to be without a name and to be without an identity, so we stress to parents to register their children.”
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