Mpumalanga police rescued a woman from a mob baying for her blood after accusing her of dumping a newborn baby to its a death in a pit toilet.
The 33-year-old woman of Hlangalezwe in Mkhuhlu allegedly dumped her infant in a pit latrine where it died on Wednesday.
According to the police, the lifeless body of the baby was already in a decomposing state when family members discovered it.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said one of the family members made a gruesome discovery during the cleaning of the property.
“The lifeless body was recovered by family members who went to clean their father’s property. The gender of the child could not be established due to the body’s state.”
On the day of the mob attack, a team of police officers were busy with a task in the area when they received a complaint about mob justice. They rushed to the scene where they rescued the woman under attack.
“Upon police arrival, a female victim was found to be under attack by the angry mob.
“Investigation revealed that the woman was expecting a baby, but she was no longer expecting and had no baby to show. It was also established that the victim was staying where the lifeless baby was found and suspicions were, she might have concealed the baby’s birth,” added Mohlala.
Suspect taken in for questioning
The woman was taken to police station for questioning. Mohlala said she might be linked to a registered case of a baby found dead in a pit toilet.
Mpumalanga police commissioner Lit-Gen Daphney Manamela said it was disturbing that such acts of violence where happening while the country was observing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.
“The act of depriving the innocent baby the right to life is wrong. Community members should bear in mind that if they happen to have unwanted children, they should give them up for adoption rather than taking their lives,” Manamela said.
About the intended violent attack against the suspect, the police chief said: “It is quite disturbing if such incidents happen whilst we are in the middle of 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children.”
