S. African woman's claim of giving birth to 10 babies not true: authority

JOHANNESBURG - The South African woman who has claimed she gave birth to 10 babies was not pregnant in the past months, said the Gauteng provincial government on Wednesday.

Gosiame Sithole, 37, claimed that she gave birth to 10 babies on June 7 in a local hospital in Gauteng Province, according to local media.

"The Gauteng provincial government conducted a thorough check with all hospitals in the province to establish the veracity or otherwise of reports," said the government in a statement. "None of the hospitals in the province, public and private, had any records of such birth at their facilities."

Sithole was taken to hospital on June 18 where several examinations were conducted.

"It has now been established by medical practitioners that Ms. Sithole did not give birth to any babies in recent times. It is also been established that she was not pregnant in recent times," said Gauteng Provincial Government spokesperson Thabo Masebe.

He said the government will continue providing medical, psychological and social support to the woman.