Soccer players discover newborn baby
Soccer players discovered a newborn baby next to a dustbin in a field next to the Mehlaring Stadium shortly after 6am on Saturday morning.
According to Mr Sello Kekana, he was retrieving the ball when he saw something moving inside a plastic bag.
He called his friend, Mr Thokhozani Hlatshwayo, and inspected the contents of the bag. The two men found a newborn baby dressed in a dirty jacket.
“I could not believe my eyes and froze for a moment. There was a white cloth wrapped around the baby’s neck and it was clear the person who dumped the baby tried to strangle him, but the baby was still alive. I called the other players,” he said.
He added, “I picked up the baby and saw he was only a few hours old. The umbilical cord was still attached. It was cold and I realised that whoever dumped the baby, did so in the early hours of the morning.”
The players informed the police about the baby. “I am still shocked. I have seen dumped babies in newspapers but I never thought I would see it with my own eyes one day. I pray that whoever did this, is arrested and brought to justice,” said Mr Hlatshwayo.
The Tembisa SAPS communications director, Manyadza Ralidzhivha, said a case of child abandonment was opened at the station.
“We call on residents with information about the baby’s mother to contact the nearest police station,” he said.
