New Year babies welcomed at Kimberley hospitals as Northern Cape marks first births of 2026
Sol Plaatje Executive Mayor Martha Bartlett and Speaker Dipuo Peters (pictured, left) joined the Northern Cape Department of Health in welcoming New Year babies at Kimberley hospitals, as 20 births were recorded across the province.
Image: Supplied
THE NORTHERN Cape’s New Year celebrations began with more than fireworks and resolutions, as it welcomed new little humans into the communities.
On Thursday, the Northern Cape Department of Health, working with the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, marked the first births of 2026 at Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital and Galeshewe Day Hospital in Kimberley, welcoming babies born in the early hours of January 1.
The milestone was marked by a visit from Sol Plaatje Executive Mayor Cllr Martha Bartlett, who was joined by municipal Speaker Cllr Dipuo Peters, Members of the Mayoral Committee and senior Health Department officials. Together, they met with new mothers, offering congratulations and words of encouragement as they embarked on their motherhood journeys.
The Executive Mayor shared in the celebrations, engaging with the mothers and their newborns and extending best wishes to families welcoming children at the very start of the year.
Image: Supplied
The Executive Mayor shared in the celebrations, engaging with the mothers and their newborns and extending best wishes to families welcoming children at the very start of the year.
Speaking during a live television interview with SABC News, Bartlett reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to supporting health facilities in the city, saying service delivery to healthcare institutions would remain a priority.
Preliminary statistics released by the Department of Health show that 20 babies — 10 boys and 10 girls — were born across the province between midnight and midday on New Year’s Day. The first baby of the year, a boy weighing 3.6kg, was delivered at Galeshewe Day Hospital at 00:07.
The Department of Health said the moment served as a reminder of the importance of quality maternal and child healthcare, noting that every birth represents both a new beginning for families and a shared responsibility to build healthy communities.
Sol Plaatje Executive Mayor Martha Bartlett and Speaker Dipuo Peters joined the Northern Cape Department of Health in welcoming New Year babies at Kimberley hospitals, as 20 births were recorded across the province.
Image: Supplied