‘Don’t dump your baby’: Urgent appeal to stop abandoning babies

Parents have been urged to hand over their unwanted babies to the police or leave them at healthcare facilities instead of dumping them anywhere.

The number of the babies that are being abandoned in public throughout the country seems to be on the rise, with a slight increase recorded in the Eastern Cape.

In the latest incident, a baby boy was found in a black refuse bag hidden under a bridge in the Eastern Cape last week.

Baby found in refuse bag in EC

Eastern Cape social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta’s spokesperson, Mphumzi Zuzile, said the boy weighed 2.3kg and was healthy when he was found in Mdantsane, East London on Friday. The boy was taken to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.

Zuzile said the baby was found by community members, who alerted the police. He said the infant was only a week old when found.

ALSO READ: New Year’s babies: 12-year-old among those who gave birth

The baby is doing well in hospital, while social workers and the police are trying to locate his family.

“We are appealing to the parents to do the right thing by taking their children to a police station and or health care facility.

“They must feel free because no one will arrest them as they will be assisted by social workers, but if they decide to dump them then that is where there will be a problem because the police will arrest them,” Zuzile said.

Take your child to the police or a healthcare facility

“At all the facilities that I mentioned, there are social workers and other professionals who can assist in the process of handing over a child.”

From March to December last year, a total of 39 babies were dumped in the Eastern Cape, while only 36 such cases were formally recorded.

ALSO READ: Mpumalanga premier urges parents to register births as province welcomes 34 Christmas babies

The latest national statistics, publicly available from the social development department, showed that 250 cases of baby-dumping were recorded from January to December 2023. According to the department, all the babies were found alive and were placed in different shelters, while two of them were reunited with their families.

The national department could not provide the latest figures yesterday, after promising to do so earlier.

Zuzile said all the abandoned children were found alive and 37 were placed at different shelters in the province, while two were reunited with their families.

Dept working to address abandoned babies

He said the department was working hard to address the issue of abandoned babies. It ran educational programmes and had also established 160 shelters that accommodate vulnerable children and abused women.

He added the dumping of children was common in the province, but said the department managed to assist the children.

ALSO READ: ‘For every one found alive, two are dead’: SA’s alarming rate of baby abandonment

Dr Benita Nel from Childline South Africa said the dumping of children needs to be discouraged and prevented at all costs.

“It is devastating for a parent or family to get to a point where they do not see a way forward with their child and leave them be for the community or someone else to care for. Parents should know that there are other options available.

“Talk to family, neighbours and friends to help out and care for the kids. Alternatively, look for a church or children’s facility to assist.”

Other options are available

“Admitting that you are in a position where you cannot take care of your kids is a brave thing to do. It ensures that your kid is cared for and safe. Abandoning them without care when alternative options are available shows a sad situation.

“We should raise more awareness to link parents with facilities available in their areas,” Nel said.

ALSO READ: Abandoned baby: Pro bono operation restores her lost hearing

A study conducted by the Medical Research Council in 2018 indicated that approximately 3 500 children were abandoned every year.

It also revealed that for every baby found alive, two were found dead. The study further noted 65% of the dumped children were newborn babies, while 90% were under 12 months.