A sombre scene greeted the corner of King and St Amant streets in Malvern as a rescue blanket covered the small discarded remains of a newborn baby discovered lying next to a heap of rubble.
The gruesome find was made by a group of recyclers who were going through the pile of rubble shortly before midday on February 1.
It is not clear whether the baby was still alive when it was dumped.
Spokesperson for Joburg EMS Nana Radebe said paramedics declared the baby dead on the scene.
Radebe could, however, not reveal a likely time of death or whether the baby had already been deceased prior to being discarded.
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Cleveland SAPS spokesperson Johan Jordaan confirmed the body of the male baby appeared to be in a state of rigour mortis when first respondents arrived on scene at 11.40am.
“The newborn was already in the rigor mortis state and paramedics arrived to declare the baby dead,” said Jordaan.
“The mother of the baby has not been found, but police investigations into the matter will continue. An inquest docket has also been opened and will be investigated further.”
Ward 118 Clr Neuren Pietersen expressed disappointment at the incident, which he said was the second recorded incident in the Malvern area in the past few months.
“This is a shocking incident of a dead baby which apparently had a plastic bag over its head,” said Pietersen.
“This is also rather unfortunate because it seems like the baby was alive when it was born and is the second such incident to occur in less than three months.”
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Jordaan meanwhile could not confirm Pietersen’s account of a plastic bag being wrapped around the deceased baby’s head, citing no foul play had so far been found.
“There is nothing in the docket to suggest this, but police will thoroughly investigate the matter,” explained Jordaan.
“We will have even further clarity once the mother of the baby has been found.”
Pietersen gave a few words of advice to desperate mothers or those seeking help.
“I implore any desperate mother to never consider taking such drastic action, but rather leave their babies with organisations such as the Salvation Army.
“If that is too much, rather leave the baby in somebody’s yard than taking such drastic action.
“If people are sexually active and don’t want any children, they should approach clinics, such as the one in Malvern, for family planning interventions and advice.”
