Limpopo police have arrested a 28-year-old man for statutory rape after he allegedly impregnated a 13-year-old girl who gave birth on Christmas Day.

The suspect met the minor at a Seshego shopping complex in January before beginning communication that led to intimate contact in May, according to provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba.

The girl revealed the abuse to her aunt after experiencing complications, with medical tests in November 2024 confirming she was eight months pregnant.

Seshego’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit arrested the suspect on Thursday, December 26.

Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe welcomed the arrest, warning that police will not tolerate “such inhumane acts” and urging parents to protect their children.

The incident emerged as the Department of Health announced over 1,360 Christmas Day births nationwide, noting a decrease in teen mothers from 145 in 2023 to under 90 this year.

Department spokesperson Foster Mohale attributed the decline in teen pregnancies to improved sexual health programs and youth-friendly healthcare services.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in Seshego Magistrate’s Court, with Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba expressing support for the arrest.