A teenage mother from Mphego village was arrested on Saturday, 15 April, for murdering her two-year-old son and then dumping his body into a pit toilet.
The police spokesperson in Limpopo, Lt Col Malesela Ledwaba, confirmed the arrest. "A case of murder was opened by the Thohoyandou SAPS and is being investigated by the FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit), considering the sensitivity of the case and the fact that the Child Justice Act is kicking in because it involves minors," said Ledwaba.
According to a reliable source who refused to be named, the girl (now 17) got pregnant when she was just 14 years old and went on to live with the father of the child when her son was born. "Their relationship started to have problems and the girl went back home to her family. During the March school holidays, she picked the child up (who was with the father) and took him home with her. When the school holidays were over, the little boy's father wanted to know where the child was, and the girl told him the child was with her maternal grandmother. When the father went to the teenage mother's family, however, he found that the child was not there. The girl then told him the child was with relatives in Gauteng. That's when the boy's father decided to call the police, and the girl started confessing. She told the police that she had killed her son on 18 March and threw his body into a pit toilet near a sand and brick hardware store at Mphego village," the source said.
"It is rumoured that the girl is eight months pregnant by a new boyfriend, and that this boyfriend told her that he doesn't want her with the child. That is why she decided to kill her son," said our source.
A post on what is believed to be the teenage mother's Facebook page, reads (translated from Tshivenda): I know you are all going to make jokes about it at school but there is nothing that I can do. You are all going to miss me. Please try to forgive me for what I did to my baby boy, my heart is painful. I took my son's life just to prove love to someone who doesn't care about me.
A representative of the local SANCO branch, Mr Azwitamisi Masala, said the village was in shock. "We are ashamed, and this incident has stripped us of our dignity. We don't know what to say or do, but we are all shocked that something like this could happen in our village. This is the first for us in this area. For now, we are trying to comfort the grieving family in every way we can," Masala said.
Ms Messie Raphalalani, founder of Stop the Spot, an organisation that advocates for women and children's rights, said the incident was heart-breaking and had caused immense pain and suffering for everyone involved. "As an organisation dedicated to promoting the well-being and safety of all members of our community, we are deeply concerned about this incident and its underlying causes. We recognise that issues related to mental health, relationships, and parenting are complex and complicated, and require a comprehensive and compassionate response. We urge all members of our community to come together to address this issue with empathy, compassion, and understanding. It is important to recognize that individuals who are struggling with mental health issues or facing difficult circumstances may feel isolated, ashamed and hopeless, and it is our duty to offer non-judgmental support and assistance," she said.