With more than 250 children abandoned across the country last year, child abandonment is regarded as a crisis in South Africa. Those who are fortunate are found alive, but others are not so lucky and are found dead. Vhembe has not been spared.
On Saturday (5 October), residents of Thohoyandou were shocked to hear that two dead foetuses had been discovered in a garbage skip at a busy shopping centre. The grisly discovery was made behind one of the large chain stores in Thohoyandou.
Information gathered by Limpopo Mirror suggests that the two foetuses, believed to be twins, were found by a man searching for food for his pigs in the bin.
Vhembe SAPS spokesperson W/O Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the incident. "We have opened a concealment-of-birth case, following the discovery of the two lifeless foetuses," he said. Dathi stated that the incident had been reported to the police at around 17:00. The man took the two foetuses to the Thohoyandou police station, where a case was registered. "So far, the mother is unknown, but we hope further investigations will reveal her identity, and she will be arrested," he said.
Dathi noted that the abandonment and dumping of babies was more prevalent around institutions of higher learning, where students, fearing their families' reactions to their pregnancies, resort to such extreme actions. "With the close cooperation we have with hospitals, private doctors, and traditional healers, we will arrest the culprit," Dathi said.
The incident was widely condemned by various community groups. Ms Thelma Marole, from the Vhembe Concerned Group and a senior member of the DA in Vhembe, expressed her shock. "We are very disappointed as women. This is not representative of us. In this day and age, where there are several options, one can choose adoption and allow the babies to live. Please do not kill the children; rather, seek help," she said.
Meanwhile, the police are appealing for witnesses who can help them solve the case. "We are calling on anyone who may have information about the incident to contact the investigating officer, W/O Tshivalo, of the Vhembe Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit, at (082) 729-0202," Dathi said.