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Recorded live births, 2016

Media Release 28 September 2017

The Recorded live births, 2016 report released by Statistics South Africa today shows that a total of 969 415 births were registered in South Africa in 2016. This indicated a decline of 10,6% from the 1 084 511 birth registrations for 2015. Of the 969 415 births registered in 2016, 876 435 were current registrations (births that occurred in 2016) whereas 92 980 were late registrations (births for 2015 and earlier years). A majority of the current births registrations were for male children (442 301) while 434 134 were for females, resulting in a sex ratio of 102. Most births occurred to women aged 20−29 years old. No comparable or reliable information on fathers could be provided due to a high proportion of births registered (more than 60%) without details of fathers.

Overall, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal had the highest number of birth occurrences compared to other provinces. Relative to other months, the months of March and September had the highest number of birth occurrences implying increased conception in June and December.

Of the 969 415 births registered in 2016, 136 996 (13,9%) were born to mothers who were between the ages of 10 and 19 years old. A large number (783 322) of the births registered in 2016 occurred to mothers between the ages of 20 and 39 years; of these, 243 148 (31%) occurred to mothers within the 20−24 years age group. A total of 34 923 (3,6%) of births registered in 2016 were to mothers in the 40−54 years age group.

The most popular names for girls born and registered in 2016 were Precious, Princess and Amahle, respectively; while the most popular names amongst baby boys were Junior, Blessing and Gift. Most babies were born to the surnames Dlamini, Nkosi and Ndlovu respectively. The table below shows names parents gave to their children by province of birth, together with surnames they are born to:

Province	Boys	Girls	Surname
Western Cape	Junior	Mia	Jacobs
Eastern Cape	Kungawo	Iminathi	Williams
Northern Cape	Junior	Grace	Van Wyk
Free State	Junior	Precious	Mokoena
KwaZulu-Natal	Bandile	Luthando	Dlamini
North West	Junior	Amogelang	Molefe
Gauteng	Junior	Precious	Mokoena
Mpumalanga	Blessing	Princess	Nkosi
Limpopo	Junior	Precious	Baloyi

The full report is available on the Statistics South Africa website: www.statssa.gov.za

About the report

Statistics South Africa publishes the Recorded live births statistical release on an annual basis. This publication presents statistics on the number of registered births for 2016. The statistical release also provides information on trends in births that occurred during the period 1994 to 2015, and whether these are registered within a 30-day period as required by law. The release draws on data collected by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) through the civil registration system.

Issued by Statistics South Africa

Technical enquiries:

Ms Gwen Lehloenya

Acting Deputy Director-General: Population & Social Statistics

Tel: (012) 310 9324

Email: GwenL@statssa.gov.za

Ramadimetja Matji

Acting Chief Director: Health and Vital Statistics

Tel: (012) 406 3301

Cell: 071 670 3272

Email: RamadimetjaM@statssa.gov.za

Media enquiries:

Lesedi Dibakwane

Director: Media and Public Relations

Tel: 012 310 8578

Cell: 082 805 7088

Email: LesediD@statssa.gov.za

Posted on September 28, 2017 Facebook Twitter Linkedin

Economic Stats

Joe de Beer (Deputy Director-General)
012 310 8024
082 888 2600
joedb@statssa.gov.za

Peter Perkins
(Economist)
012 310 8389
082 883 9532
peterp@statssa.gov.za

Social Stats

Gwen Lehloenya (Acting Deputy Director-General)
012 310 8333
082 888 2323
gwenL@statssa.gov.za

Neo Nghenavo
(Director)
012 310 8047
082 888 2613
neon@statssa.gov.za

**Scroll for more contacts by subject area**
Topic	Contact	Alternative Contact
Consumer price index (CPI), Producer price index (PPI), Unit value indices: exports / imports, Construction materials price indices	Patrick Kelly (Chief Director) 012 310 8290 082 888 2248 patrickke@statssa.gov.za	Marietjie Bennett (Director) 012 310 8077 082 888 2194 marietjieb@statssa.gov.za
Government finance: national and provincial government	Moses Mnyaka (Chief Director) 012 310 8984 / 8586 083 471 3531 mosesmn@statssa.gov.za	Elizabeth Makhafola (Director) 012 310 8977 082 888 9062 elizabethma@statssa.gov.za
Government finance: local government	Moses Mnyaka (Chief Director) 012 310 8984 / 8586 083 471 3531 mosesmn@statssa.gov.za	Malibongwe Mhemhe (Director) 012 310 6928 082 906 8964 malibongwem@statssa.gov.za
Supply and use tables, Satellite accounts, Regional GDP	Michael Manamela (Chief Director) 012 310 8520 082 888 2205 michaelm@statssa.gov.za
Gross domestic product (GDP), production	Michael Manamela (Chief Director) 012 310 8520 082 888 2205 michaelm@statssa.gov.za	Bontlenyana Makhoba(Chief Economist) 012 310 8567 bontlenyanam@statssa.gov.za
Gross domestic product (GDP), expenditure	Michael Manamela (Chief Director) 012 310 8520 082 888 2205 michaelm@statssa.gov.za	Litshani Ligudu (Director) 012 310 4674 082 884 4279 litshanil@statssa.gov.za
Environmental-economic accounts	Gerhardt Bouwer (Chief Director) 012 310 8241 082 888 2409 gerhardb@statssa.gov.za	Riaan Grobler (Director) 012 406 3474 084 515 2908 riaang@statssa.gov.za
Mining, manufacturing, electricity, capacity utilisation	Hlabi Morudu (Chief Director) 012 310 8377 082 317 8531 hlabim@statssa.gov.za	Nicolai Claassen (Director) 012 310 8007 076 759 0200 nicolaic@statssa.gov.za
Retail, wholesale, motor, land transport	Hlabi Morudu (Chief Director) 012 310 8377 082 317 8531 hlabim@statssa.gov.za	Keshnee Naidoo (Director) 012 310 8423 083 689 5341 keshneen@statssa.gov.za
Building, liquidations, civil cases for debt, food & beverages, tourist accommodation	Hlabi Morudu (Chief Director) 012 310 8377 082 317 8531 hlabim@statssa.gov.za	Joyce Essel-Mensah (Director) 012 310 8255 082 888 2374 joycee@statssa.gov.za
Annual financial statistics (AFS)	Sagaren Pillay (Chief Director) 012 310 4619 082 905 2665 sagarenp@statssa.gov.za	Amukelani Ngobeni (Director) 012 310 2938 082 677 4536 amukelanin@statssa.gov.za
Quarterly financial statistics (QFS)	Sagaren Pillay (Chief Director) 012 310 4619 082 905 2665 sagarenp@statssa.gov.za	Krisseelan Govinden (Director) 012 310 4651 082 901 7960 krisseelang@statssa.gov.za
Structural industry statistics (large sample surveys of industries every 3 to 5 years; agriculture)	Itani Magwaba (Chief Director) 012 337 6471 / 6254 082 905 5143 itanim@statssa.gov.za	Tshepo Pekane (Director) 012 310 8191 083 675 8654 tshepop@statssa.gov.za
Population Statistics (Census and Community Survey)	Christine Khoza (Chief Director) 012 310 2185 071 670 2672 christinek@statssa.gov.za	Angela Ngyende (Chief Statistician) 012 310 4699 079 519 3212 angelan@statssa.gov.za
Demography-Mid-year Population Estimates	Diego Iturralde (Chief Director) 012 310 8922 082 413 2661 diegoi@statssa.gov.za	Chantal Munthree (Chief Statistician) 012 310 6648 082 888 2289 chantalMu@statssa.gov.za
Labour Statistics- Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS)	Malerato Mosiane (Acting Chief Director) 012 310 8688 082 888 2449 maleratoM@statssa.gov.za	Desiree Manamela (Director) 012 310 2145 071 681 2768 DesireeM@statssa.gov.za Malerato Mosiane (Chief Statistician) 012 310 8688 082 888 2449 maleratoM@statssa.gov.za
Quarterly Employment Statistics (QES)	Malerato Mosiane (Acting Chief Director) 012 310 8688 082 8882449 maleratoM@statssa.gov.za	Matlapane Masupye (Acting Director) 012 310 8168 082 317 5340 matlapanem@statssa.gov.za
Tourism Statistics (Domestic Tourism Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Brenda Mosima (Director) 012 310 8168 082 906 7925 BrendaMo@statssa.gov.za
Crime and Safety Statistics (Victims of Crime Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Joseph Lukhwareni (Director) 012 310 8485 082 888 2486 JosephL@statssa.gov.za
Service Delivery Statistics (General Household Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Niel Roux (Director) 012 310 2939 082 904 7919 NielR@statssa.gov.za
Transport Statistics (National Travel Survey)	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Solly Molayi (Director) 012 310 6442 083 440 7035 SollyMol@statssa.gov.za
Gender Statistics	Isabel Schmidt (Chief Director ) 012 337 6379 082 884 4281 IsabelSc@statssa.gov.za	Tshepo Mabela (Director) 012 310 8587 082 941 9383 TshepoMab@statssa.gov.za
Mortality and Causes of Deaths	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 thabomol@statssa.gov.za
Tourism and Migration	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Ramadimetja Matji(Director) 012 406 33011 071 670 3272 ramadimetjaM@statssa.gov.za
Registered Births	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 thabomol@statssa.gov.za
Marriages and Divorces	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Ramadimetja Matji(Director) 012 406 33011 071 670 3272 ramadimetjaM@statssa.gov.za
Living Conditions Survey	Rika du Plessis (Acting Chief Director) Health and Vital Statistics 012 310 2913 .. rikaDP@statssa.gov.za	Thabo Molebatsi(Director) 012 310 4857 060 997 8372 thabomol@statssa.gov.za
Income and Expenditure Survey	Nozipho Shabalala (Chief Director ) 012 310 6994 082 904 8896 Noziphos@statssa.gov.za	Werner Ruch (Director) 012 310 6318 082 906 7967 wernerr@statssa.gov.za

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Recorded live births, 2016

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Recorded live births, 2016

Publication Schedule Updated!

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Publication Schedule ^Updated!