Mzansi is ready to throw ‘national baby shower’ for woman who gave birth to 10 babies as confusion reigns

Social media users have reacted to a report of a Pretoria woman who allegedly gave birth to 10 children, offering to throw a “national baby shower”.

The Pretoria News reported on Tuesday that Gosiame Thamara Sithole gave birth to the children at an unnamed Pretoria hospital, breaking a world record.

The publication claimed it interviewed the couple at their Thembisa home last month, but delayed publishing the interview “at the request of the couple for safety and cultural reasons”.

“It is seven boys and three girls. She was seven months and seven days pregnant. I am happy. I am emotional. I can’t talk much. Let’s talk again in the morning please,” the woman’s husband, Teboho Tsotetsi, was quoted as saying.

However the director-general of government communications Phumla Williams said government could not verify the report.

“The posts attribute the birth of the babies to Gosiame Thamara Sithole from Gauteng. Government has been unable to verify the authenticity of this birth at our facilities. We need to verify this story and provide assistance where needed,” said Williams.

Social media was in a celebratory mood and flooded Twitter with ideas for a “national baby shower” to provide support for the couple.

After Lucky Star offered the couple a year’s supply of pilchards, social media users called on other brands to also help.

UPDATE JUNE 18: Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu said on Friday, June 18, that she is waiting for consolidated information before “going public” on the saga. Zulu told TimesLIVE she held a meeting with the provincial department of social development and the health department and “we have a few loose ends that needed to be sorted out” before briefing the public about what really happened. Both the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the provincial health department have said they are unable to verify the births of the decuplets.