Durban - Monday February 29 was a day that only come round every four years - but it was special in another way for new parents around the country.
Here's what happened in three cities in South Africa.
JOHANNESBURG
Mothers of leap-day babies have the rare opportunity to decide when their children's birthdays will be in between the four-year cycle.
On Monday, moms of newborns at Rahima Moosa Mother And Child Hospital in Coronationville, Joburg, shared their excitement - and dread - at giving birth on February 29.
When Precious Moyo went into labour on Monday morning, she kept her fingers crossed that her daughter would be a leap baby.
“I went into labour today at about 2am and I knew it was the 29th. I was praying that he would be a leap year baby,” she said.
Maleecha Molefe wasn't as elated. “When I realised my baby would be born on February 29, my heart was sore. How am I going to tell the child when his birthday is?”
Lerato Mbangeni, The Star
DURBAN
Three leap year babies born in Durban were pleasant surprises for their parents.
None of the three mothers visited by The Mercury expected to give birth on February 29 and had mixed feelings.
Happy Dladla, of Mariannhill, said the arrival of her baby boy, Khulasande, was estimated to be February 27, but he was delivered on Monday, at 8.20am. He was born at Life Crompton Hospital.
“I was shocked and I asked myself when we are going to celebrate his birthday because this day comes once every four years. I said to myself that was going to be a long time.”
Dladla said she did not know anyone in her family or among her friends who had leap year children.
“For the rest of his life I think for the three years before his actual birthday we will have to celebrate in March. I preferred February 28, but I heard a person cannot celebrate their birthday before the day they were born, so obviously we are going for March.”
At her first delivery in 2014, Nikita and her husband, Ashlin Huriparsad, of Chatsworth, had something to celebrate as it was a set of twins. And on Monday, the family were overjoyed to have their girl on the leap year day.
Baby Shraddha was expected to be born on Tuesday but came hours earlier as she was delivered on Monday at Life Westville Hospital.
“After delivery I was both anxious and excited. My mother did not want her to be born today because she said that would ruin her life, she needs a birthday,” she said.
Dad Ashlin said they would celebrate Shraddha’s birthday on March 1.
Another mother, Sibusisiwe Mkhulisi, of Mayville, who gave birth to Thobelani Mkhulisi, also at Life Westville Hospital said she had never thought there was going to be anyone in her family born on that day.
She said having her child born on Monday was “special”.
Sphelele Ngubane, The Mercury
CAPE TOWN
February 29, 2016 ushered in a new generation of leap-year babies at the Mowbray Maternity Hospital.
Bianca Carls, Western Cape spokeswoman for General Specialist and EMS Directorate, said 16 babies were delivered on Monday.
She said four boys and two girls were delivered normally, and eight boys and two girls were delivered by Caesarean section.
Carls said the first baby delivered was a girl, who was born at about 2.33am.
Carls said: “Proud Athlone parents Brian Wentzel, 35, and Olivier Wentzel, 37, welcomed little Briyahana Wentzel into the world at 2.33am. She weighed a healthy 4kg and was 50cm in length. The parents of three are ecstatic with the new member of their family.”
Briyahana is the couple’s second baby to be delivered at the hospital.
Zodidi Dano, Cape Argus