First half of New Year’s Day brings dozens of tiny arrivals
South Africa welcomes a remarkable influx of newborns on New Year's Day.
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The stork has been busy in the Eastern Cape on New Year's Day, with 90 babies born in just the first 12 hours.
It's a girl-power start to 2026, with 53 girls and 36 boys welcomed into the world.
OR Tambo recorded the most births with 21, followed by Nelson Mandela Bay with 18 and Buffalo City with 16. Chris Hani saw nine arrivals, Sarah Baartman and Alfred Nzo eight each, Joe Gqabi six, and Amathole four.
Eastern Cape health spokesperson Siyanda Manana confirmed these numbers cover births between midnight and noon on January 1.
"The department congratulates the new mothers," he said.
"We are concerned about the teenage mothers, though and will intensify our efforts as a department to prevent young girls from getting pregnant.
"We will work in a collaborative effort with the basic education and social development department to address this problem. We will also look at the cases of statutory rape.
"We commend the Health Staff for their dedication and commitment."
Meanwhile, Limpopo has already welcomed 26 New Year babies, with 15 boys and 11 girls, health department spokesperson Percy Moagi said.
The Free State also wasted no time ringing in 2026, with 20 babies — eight girls and 12 boys — making their grand entrance in state hospitals across the province.
In Mpumalanga, Shongwe hospital saw the births of five children, three boys and two girls before 10am today.
However, the total number of babies born today in the province is 50, with 23 males and 27 females.
In the Western Cape, 28 babies were born.
Western Cape's health and wellness department said 17 boys and 11 girls were safely delivered from midnight on January 1.
The department noted that the total number of births may increase as additional deliveries are reported. Figures were correct as at 1.30pm on January 1 2026.
The first baby of the year, a boy weighing 3.8kg, was born exactly at midnight at Mowbray Maternity Hospital to mother Geneva Claasen.
Just three minutes later, another baby boy, weighing 3.5kg, was delivered at Paarl Hospital. The third baby of the year was a girl born at Stellenbosch Hospital at 1.38am, weighing 3.2kg.
The Gauteng Department of Health reports that 196 babies were welcomed into the world on New Year’s Day across the province’s public hospitals and community health centres.
Of these, 90 were boys and 106 were girls, including two sets of twins.
The figures are for public health facilities only.
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