Selby Makgotho

This year's youngest Christmas mother in Limpopo is just 13 years old.

Sophy Sekole, health and social development spokesman, said the 13-year-old gave birth in Tzaneen to a healthy baby girl who weighed 2,18kg.

Limpopo registered 253 newborn babies on Christmas Day, including four sets of twins.

"Much as we welcome the children, we have too many mothers under the age of 18. Teenage pregnancy destroys one's future and if our children continue like this we are going to have a serious problem educating the nation," she said.

Sekole said this was an indication that messages about having protected sex fell on deaf ears and that teenagers were not using condoms to protect themselves from HIV-Aids.

l Riot Hlatshwayho reports that more than 150 children were born in Mpumalanga hospitals on Christmas Day.

Mpho Gabashane, departmental spokesman, said 153 children were born in 24 hospitals but he was still awaiting figures from two other hospitals.