Newborn baby found in KZN pit toilet dies

A newborn baby died a day after he was rescued from a pit toilet in Sacca informal settlement, Pietermaritzburg, in KZN.

It is alleged that the abandoned baby was found by a community member who was about to use the pit toilet. She heard the baby crying inside the toilet on Thursday at around 18:00.

The woman then alerted community members that there was a baby inside the pit. The community then got together to rescue the baby.

Baby rescued

Speaking to The Witness, CPF chairperson Thembinkosi Gwala said that after the community rescued the child, they then hired a car to take the baby to the hospital because the ambulance was taking too long to arrive.

“Unfortunately, the baby died the following day. This is not the first time such an incident has happened here. This paints a bad image of our place,” said Gwala.

KZN Department of Social Development

KZN Department of Social Development spokesperson Mhlabunzima Memela said the incident is extremely troubling, especially now during child protection month.

“What is strange is that some people in our communities are aware of what the department is capable of doing,” said Memela.

“We always encourage them that when a woman happens to fall pregnant, she must engage with social workers if she feels that she will have a problem when it comes to taking care of that child.”

He added that they always encourage people to take their unwanted child to social workers, police stations, or even clinics so that they can get assistance.

“Unfortunately, our communities are not adhering to that as they continue to do such things. It is a crime.

“The community will know who was pregnant. If they can give that information to the police, that person will have to face charges of abandoning a child and murder,” he added.

The baby was rushed to hospital but died the next day. KZN’s social department urges pregnant women to seek for help should they not be to take care of the unborn child.