A dark cloud has descended over the peaceful village of Siloam, following the shocking discovery of a newborn baby boy's body at the sewage ponds outside Siloam Hospital on Tuesday, 21 January. The discovery, made around 16:00, has left the tight-knit community in grief and disbelief.
W/O Vuledzani Dathi, spokesperson for the Vhembe SAPS, said the police were alerted by workers at the site. "Upon the police's arrival at the scene, they found the dead body of a newborn baby boy," he said. He added that a case docket for concealment of birth had been opened and called on the public to assist with the investigation. "We are requesting any information that can help the police locate the suspect or the mother to contact the investigating officer, Sgt Sinyosi Collen, at (082) 058-0064."
The news has deeply shaken the community, with many struggling to comprehend how such a tragedy could occur. Azwianewi Barure, deputy secretary of the Siloam SANCO branch, expressed her anguish. "We are in deep shock; this is pure evil. Siloam is a very peaceful village, and things like this don't usually happen. We urge community members to work with the police to bring the perpetrator to justice. If anyone knows of someone who was pregnant but no longer appears to be, they must inform the authorities," she said.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about how the infant had ended up at the sewage ponds. Some speculate the baby might have been disposed of through the hospital's sewage system, while others suggest the infant was deliberately placed there to mislead investigators.
A maintenance worker from Siloam Hospital dismissed the possibility of the infant travelling through the hospital's sewage system. "The main sewage pipes here are 110–630 mm in diameter. They often block from something as small as a sanitary towel or paper towel. There is no way they could carry an infant of this size almost a kilometre to the ponds," he explained. He further suggested that the baby had probably been placed at the scene deliberately.