FOUR women were arrested on Tuesday by the Pinetown Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for abducting a child in Pinetown.

It is alleged that on 29 October, 2014, two women from Inchanga, who posed as social workers, visited Tanya Sewpersad in the Tshelimnyama area in Mariannhill.

According to KZN spokesman,  Major Thulani Zwane, the two women told Sewpersad that they have found a job for her. “They told her to go with them to Pinetown and she agreed, taking along her baby boy, who was six months old at the time.”

When they arrived in Pinetown, the so-called social workers gave Sewpersad R300 to buy food for the baby.

“She left the baby with the two women and, when she returned, the women and the baby were nowhere to be found.”

A case of child abduction was opened at the Pinetown police station for investigation.

The  investigation led police to the first woman, who was arrested in Inchanga. After questioning her, police were led to the  Durban CBD where the baby was found in one of the flats.  The  ‘new mother’ was arrested, as well as her domestic worker, who was linked to the bogus social workers.

“It is alleged that the ‘new mother’ bought the baby for R5 000 from the so-called social workers, as she had no baby of her own,” said Zwane.

The last arrest was that of a 41-year-old woman who accompanied the first woman who posed as a social worker. The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, applauded the members for the arrests they made regarding the kidnapping of the child.

“Violence against women and children will not be tolerated in our province. It is saddening that four women were involved in this case,” she said.

The four women, aged between 23 and 48, will appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, Thursday, 5 March.