The Gauteng health department will institute disciplinary action against staff allegedly involved in the swapping of newborn babies at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg.

“The department finds this incident regrettable. The hospital concedes that the identification of the babies in procedure for discharge was not properly followed,” said provincial health spokesperson Kwara Kekana.

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She said the two babies, a boy and girl, were born on July 24.

“The baby girl’s mother realised at around 9pm the same evening when she changed the baby that it was not her baby, as she had delivered a baby girl and she instead had a boy,” Kekana said.

The mothers were interviewed and provided counselling.

The matter was referred to a social worker to facilitate DNA testing at the request of one of the fathers, Kekana said.

The children have been admitted at the same hospital pending DNA results.