“The abandonment of babies in South Africa has become a dire situation.” These were the words of Melanie Turner, project manager for The Domino Foundation, when the organisation last year promoted its ‘baby safe’.
Since then, there have been several incidents of dumped babies in the area, the latest of which involves the discovery of the body of a four-month-old baby in the KwaMashu River.
According to local councillor, Emmanuel Mhlongo, the baby was found at the corner of Queen Nandi Drive and Malandela Road at around 1pm yesterday afternoon. He added that this had been the third baby dumped in the river in recent months.
“The baby was floating in the river next to a plastic bag. A man in the area saw a car dumping something in the vicinity where the baby was found, and the baby was found shortly after,” he said.
When asked about whether police have been able to determine the cause of the baby’s death, Mhlongo said the baby’s body was badly decomposed.
“I will be campaigning and have urged community members not to resort to dumping or killing their babies. There are options and many organisations and adoption centres that will take care of the babies,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Northglen News reported on a newborn baby found at the corner of Brown’s Drift and Riverside Road. The body of the tiny baby had been wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped at the side of the road.
Two weeks later, a decapitated body of a two-month-old baby was discovered on the uMhlanga Beach. The infant’s genitals had also been removed.
