Viral story of a South African woman who gave birth to 10 babies was fake

• Medical tests revealed that Sithole had not even been pregnant recently.

South African woman who was alleged to have given birth to 10 babies
South African woman who was alleged to have given birth to 10 babies
Image: courtesy

A story of a South African woman Gosiame Sithole who allegedly gave birth to 10 babies earlier this month is not true.

An official inquiry has found out that there is no hospitals in Gauteng province with a record of decuplets being born.

The provincial government confirmed in a statement.

Medical tests revealed that Sithole had not even been pregnant recently.

The 37-year-old is now being held under the mental health act for observation and will be provided with support.

The statement did not elaborate on the reasons behind the fabrication of the story.

The birth of a surprise 10 babies was announced by Pretoria News on 8 June quoting Mr Tsotetsi as the source but the story drew suspicion after Pretoria News initially failed to disclose the hospital where the babies were born and a series of hospitals in Gauteng came out to deny their involvement.

Gosiame Thamara Sithole's husband said they were astonished by decuplets after scans only showed eight in the womb.

"It's seven boys and three girls. I am happy. I am emotional. I can't talk much," her husband Teboho Tsotetsi told Pretoria News after the birth.