MBOMBELA – It’s true that history has a way of repeating itself. Reliable sources at Rob Ferreira Hospital have disclosed to Mpumalanga News that babies have previously been stolen from old maternity wards in 2010 and 2011.
“It’s not the first time a baby is snatched or stolen.” Another source who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said she would have lost her twins two years ago, had it not been for a tip-off she received from a nurse.
According to reliable information there were suspects who had planned to snatch the newborns.
She added that foreign-national mothers were targeted and supposedly threatened to be deported if they testified what had happened. Hence the twins’ mother had been quiet for two years, until now.
These confessions came after the recent incident left many in shock when a 16-year-old mom was left only with a bag full of new baby clothes and an opened pack of pampers instead of her bundle of joy.
It occurred at the maternity ward over the weekend, a few hours after Maria Mandlazi underwent a C-section.
“Where is the baby? I want my baby back,” Mandlazi cried.
Relatives also pleaded with the culprit to return the infant as they were looking forward to being grandparents for the first time.
Ms Agnes Matsenjwa explained that she came to check on the baby and its mother on Saturday morning after she had a C-section, and found her sleeping. After enquiring about her grandson, she was told that he was kept in a separate room. She was taken to the baby.
“I left and to my surprise received a call at about 20:00 from a nurse who told me the baby was missing and they suspected that I had stolen him,” said Matsenjwa.
“I told the caller that I was on my way and that they should call the police.” On arrival members of the police asked who the last person was to visit the baby. “Some nurses were accusing the mother to have sold the infant,” she said.
This publication learnt that other patients saw a woman speak to the mother claiming that her son’s grandmother was waiting outside to see him and that she was apparently taking the baby to her.
The woman then apparently changed his nappy, pushed him in the pram and never returned.
Family members vented their anger against the attitude of some nurses who pushed them around when they asked what had happened.
