A South African woman claims to have given birth to a Guinness World record-breaking 10 babies - but the government can't find her, or records of the birth.
South African media outlet IOL broke the story, exclusively reporting the expecting couple - Gosiame Thamara Sithole and her husband Teboho Tsotetsi - had successfully delivered seven boys and three girls.
The 37-year-old retail manager is already a mother to two twins, and told IOL that her pregnancy happened naturally, without the help of any fertility treatments.
Tsotetsi reportedly rang IOL from the unnamed hospital Sithole had given birth in, to share their amazing news.
"It's seven boys and three girls. She was seven months and seven days pregnant. I am happy. I am emotional," the father told the local news outlet.
Sithole had previously told IOL she was expecting six children, before a scan showed two others "in the wrong tube".
"The doctors did further scans and they found the children were in the wrong tube. That was sorted and I have been okay since then. I can’t wait for my children," she told IOL.
Since the South African media outlet broke the story, the government has been trying to track down the couple in order to assist them.
The Citizen, another local media outlet, reported South Africa's Communication and Information System Director-General Phumla Williams had been "unable to verify the authenticity of this birth at our facilities".
"We need to verify this story and provide assistance where needed," Williams said.
Williams also posted on her Twitter about the missing babies.
"We have spent a better part of today tracing the story of IOL of a woman having given birth to 10 babies! IOL can you please help the public where this birth happened!" she wrote.
If the South African government is able to verify the babies' existence, Sithole will hold the record for the most babies delivered at one time and survive.
This was previously held by Malian national Halima Cissé, who gave birth to nine children in Morocco in May.
