JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng hospitals welcomed 396 babies on New Year’s Day.
The numbers are perfectly balanced, with 198 boys and 198 girls born across the province.
Health authorities say this reflects a busy start to the year for maternity wards in Gauteng.
Meanwhile, 20 babies have been born to teenage mothers in KwaZulu-Natal alone.
This has raised urgent questions about whether enough is being done to educate children about sex and to protect them from abuse.
READ | Teen mothers at 15 | Why teens still fall pregnant
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has called on parents, teachers, communities, and social partners to intensify efforts to prevent teenage pregnancy.
Chikunga warns that teenage pregnancy is not only a challenge affecting girls, but also boys, families, and entire communities.