As South Africa celebrated the start of the new year in grand carnival style, some parents rang in 2014 in a different mode – by welcoming their bundles of joy into the world.
One such parent is Thandokazi Ncwadi, 23, of Joe Slovo, Milnerton, Cape Town, who gave birth to a baby girl, Imange, meaning “To Embrace”.
Imange, who was born at 12.05am, weighing 3.1kg, was the first girl to be born in a public hospital in the Western Cape.
The first baby, a boy, was born at Tygerberg Hospital at 12.02am, weighing 3.29kg.
Angelique Jordaan, spokeswoman for the provincial Department of Health, said that by 4pm on Wednesday 37 babies, 21 boys and 16 girls, had been born.
While revellers at the V&A Waterfront were fired up in the early hours of Wednesday with a spectacular fireworks display, at Somerset Hospital, just a stone’s throw away, Ncwadi gave birth to her first child.
“It’s such a special birth… I will always remember it because it happened on such an important day of the calendar, but for me it also marks new beginnings.
“I miscarried my first baby at almost seven months, and that’s why this is such as special baby to me,” she said.
She was not the only one celebrating.
Unathi Khayone Lujabe, of Gugulethu, gave birth to her first son hours after she went into labour at midnight and was forced to manoeuvre through heavy traffic to get to Somerset Hospital.
It took the mother of two more than an hour to get from Gugulethu to the city, and another 50 minutes to the Waterfront as traffic ground to a halt in the early hours on Wednesday. - Sipokazi Fokazi, Cape Argus
A total of 93 New Year’s babies were born in 14 Gauteng provincial hospitals between midnight and 3pm on Wednesday the provincial Health Department said.
Of these, 51 were girls and 42 boys, spokesman Phumelele Khumalo said.
The babies included 12 born at Mamelodi Hospital, among them two sets of twins, and six at Kalafong.
Dozens of babies were also born on the first day of 2014 at other private medical facilities around Johannesburg.
New mother of twin boys, Constance Matlou, glowed with pride as she held her double “blessings” in Mamelodi Hospital.
“I am so happy that my boys and I are healthy and there were no complications during the delivery,” said the new mom.
“I am very excited, but also a bit nervous,” she admitted.
Pumi Matshika was the first woman to give birth at the hospital yesterday morning and is delighted with her daughter, Poppy.
“She is so beautiful. I am so proud. This is a story I will have to tell her. I will always be reminded of how special she is because of the special day she came,” she said.
At Netcare Feminia Hospital, six babies were born on Wednesday.
Making a bright and colourful first appearance for the press was baby Ava. Her parents Allan and Taryn Rudman said Ava was due on Christmas Eve but held out for 5am on New Year’s Day.
Another happy couple were Lesego and Mokibelo Giba who welcomed their “princess” at 8.05am. Mokibelo, who had worked a night shift in the medical department of the Tshwane Emergency Services, had arrived later for the delivery of his daughter Relesego. The couple already have two sons. - Pretoria News
Born moments after midnight, 3.8kg Bandile Mahaye was one of Durban’s first babies of 2014.
“It wasn’t an easy birth, but it was fast,” Angeline Mahaye said.
He was Mahaye’s second and, she quipped, final child.
On Wednesday afternoon, Bandile’s sister, Snqobila Mahaye, eight, had not yet met the newest addition to the family.
“But she’ll come and see us at the hospital a bit later. She’s very excited,” Mahaye said.
Bandile was one of three babies born at the Joint Medical Holdings City Hospital on Wednesday.
He was joined by baby Dlamini and baby Ngcobo, who were born at 1.16am and 9.38am respectively.
Kingsway Hospital, in eManzimtoti, has also welcomed its first baby of the year.
Umzinto couple Nokukhanya and Bongani Latha’s third daughter, Nonduduzo, was born at 5.22am on Wednesday.
She weighed 3.3kg and a relaxed-looking Nokukhanya said the birth had been easy.
“It’s very exciting having a baby on New Year’s Day,” she said.
And Naseeriah and Zakeer Hanif, of Sherwood, who welcomed their second daughter, Ilham, into the world at midday on Wednesday, agreed.
“It was a bit of a shock though,” Naseeriah said.
Ilham was due on January 22, but Naseeriah was rushed to Crompton Hospital, in Pinetown, where she underwent a Caesarean section.
“I’m excited and happy. I just can’t believe it – it feels a bit unreal,” Naseeriah said.
When The Mercury visited her, Naseeriah was still waiting for staff to wash little Ilham.
“I can’t wait to see her,” she said.
According to the Department of Health, 58 new year babies were born in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.
A total of 30 boys and 28 girls were born by 2pm, department spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi said. - Bernadette Wolhuter and Sapa, The Mercury