Nomangesi Mbiza
25 July 2008
The two babies found dumped on the doorstep of a Samora Machel foster mother's home in the early hours of Tuesday morning have both found temporary new homes.
One baby has been placed at Baitul Ansaar Child Centre in Beacon Valley, Mitchell's Plain, and the second with a "safety parent" in Rocklands, according to the Western Cape department of social development.
Foster mother Nomhle Mangaliso, on whose doorstep the babies were dumped, believes the children's mothers are the same two women who ap-proached her the previous day, asking her to take their babies because they were having trouble supporting them.
Mangaliso said she had asked them to seek help from social workers in Mitchell's Plein, as she could not assist.
Responding to questions from the Cape Argus about the babies' future, social development media spokesperson Siyabulela Mqikela said the boys would remain where they were, until investigations and Children's Court Inquiry proceedings were complete.
The identity and whereabouts of both biological mothers were still unknown, but Mqikela said the Commissioner of Child Welfare at Wynberg had given permission for information about the babies to be published in a bid to trace their families.
He said both babies were in good health and that there were no signs that they had been neglected by their mothers.
According to Mqikela, reports of babies being dumped were increasing "at an alarming rate".
Meanwhile, police have warned that it is a serious offence to dump babies. Mothers could be charged with abandonment and attempted murder.
Mothers in need of help should call these Social Development District offices: Cape Town 021 696 8038/9, Khayelitsha 021 360 2100, Mitchell's Plain 021 370 4804, Wynberg 021 710 9800.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Cape Argus. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
