The Gauteng Provincial government says it has instructed the State Attorney to institute legal action against Piet Rampedi and the Independent Media Group following allegations that 37-year-old Gosiame Sithole gave birth to decuplets at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria.

The media group claimed that Sithole gave birth on 7 June to decuplets at a Gauteng hospital.

The paper said that government was trying to cover up the birth due to medical negligence.

The provincial government says that after a thorough check, they found that no hospital in the province, both public and private, have any record of such a birth.

“These allegations are false, unsubstantiated and only serve to tarnish the good reputation of Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the Gauteng Provincial Government,” the provincial government says in a statement.

No pregnancy

The provincial government says following concerns for her safety, social workers arranged for Sithole’s admission to Tembisa Hospital for observation.

Sithole was then admitted to the hospital on 18 June for what was meant to be 72 hours, but upon the completion of preliminary examinations, her doctors recommended that she be kept at the hospital for a further seven days in accordance with the Mental Healthcare Act.

It was then determined that Sithole had not given birth nor had she been pregnant in recent times.

“It has now been established by medical practitioners that Ms Sithole did not give birth to any babies in recent times. It has also been established that she was not pregnant in recent times,” the provincial government says.

The Gauteng provincial government has resolved to provide Sithole with any counselling she may require.