Gosiame Thamara Sithole gained widespread attention in the summer of 2021 by asserting that she had given birth to 10 babies simultaneously. While some expressed joy and offered congratulations, skepticism soon arose about the authenticity of her story, and the truth eventually came to light.
The arrival of children is undeniably a joyous occasion, and welcoming 10 babies at once would be an extraordinary event.
In June 2020, rumors circulated that a 37-year-old woman had given birth to decuplets at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in South Africa. The news, initially reported by journalist Piet Rampedi in Pretoria News, claimed that Gosiame Thamara Sithole had delivered the decuplets on June 7th.
According to Pretoria News, Ms. Sithole and her partner, Teboho, residents of a working-class township in the Gauteng province near Johannesburg, were taken aback when they welcomed decuplets, as earlier scans had indicated an expectation of «only» eight babies.
The news of the Temibsa 10, as they were named, making a record-breaking entrance into the world captured headlines globally. The attention was unsurprising given the rarity of decuplets, making it a truly remarkable occurrence.
Pretoria News reported that the decuplets were delivered via C-section, and the pregnancy of three girls and seven boys occurred naturally, without the aid of fertility treatments.
In an interview with Pretoria News in June 2021, Sithole expressed her shock at the pregnancy’s challenges and her hope for a healthy delivery for all her children.
Donations poured in from around the world to support the family, amassing over $70,000 according to BBC.
However, suspicions arose when it was noticed that Pretoria News did not mention the hospital where the decuplets were reportedly delivered. The Gauteng government initiated an investigation, ultimately revealing that no hospital had any record of delivering decuplets.
This Caribbean Island Is Back From the Brink—and Ready To Share Its Treasures With the World
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The paintings of Italian-born artist Agostino Brunias, who made a profession of depicting the island in subdued, stylized settings that covered up the harsh realities of colonial control, were my first visual introduction to Dominica. However, as soon as I step onto its winding roads, which begin to twist shortly after I arrive, it becomes evident that this region, which is situated in the center of the Lesser Antilles’ curve, is anything but tame. The two-toned leaves of its bois canot trees, which change color from green to white when they sway in the wind, shimmer and bristle with the power of the volcano. It lulls with the erratic sound of its numerous waterfalls, scatters rainbows haphazardly across its breathtaking horizons, and enchants from the depths with its vibrant coral reefs. And it roars come storm season.
The indigenous Kalinago people of Dominica survived invasion by the French and British, who imposed slavery on the Africans who now make up four-fifths of the island’s population and left a linguistic legacy of English and French-based Creole, by mastering the lush tropical rainforest that covers more than 60% of the island. If you visit Trinidad for roti and Jamaica for jerk, you should travel to Dominica for green things like bush rum and flower teas. There are a ton of medicinal herbs in the forest.
The Jungle Bay Dominica resort, located smack dab in the center of the Soufrière jungles, leans into nature instead, maybe realizing the futility of fighting against the earth’s generosity. When I finally get there, the kitchen is closed. Joanne Hilaire, the operations manager, tells me that they never let guests go hungry, though, so I can feel the warmth of Dominica’s welcome. The cook is preparing an excellently stewed dish of beans with taro, rice, and plantain for our late dinner, off the menu, while I have a refreshing ginger-lime cocktail that is a local favorite. When I wake up the following morning, I find that my villa’s doors open onto a private veranda that faces southwest toward Soufrière Bay, where the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean converge. I let the light wake me for the remainder of my stay by leaving my blinds open.
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