Workers find baby’s body in refuse removal truck

The grim sight of a baby’s body, covered by a layer of flies and stuck in the blade of a refuse truck compressor, is a horror that can’t be shaken from one’s mind.

The body, which police believe was that of a stillborn baby, was found by waste removal workers in a refuse removal truck on the corner of Commissioner and Pienaar streets on Wednesday afternoon.

A general assistant of Ekurhuleni’s waste department, Humbulani Nemutenzhela, said: “As I moved the next bin to be picked up by the machine, I saw the bottom half of a baby’s little body stuck under the blade, just as I was about to press control buttons.”

He said there was no telling where the body came from, since they had already stopped at a new point of collection. Only then did they notice the baby.

“I decided to stop operation immediately and contacted the police.”

Kempton Park SAPS spokesperson, Capt. Jethro Mtshali, confirmed Kempton Park Police were summoned to the scene.

“Our members found Ekurhuleni waste removal members who pointed to the remains of the stillborn baby. The body was taken to a government mortuary so a post-mortem could establish the cause of death.”

Because of the condition in which the body was found, it was impossible to determine the gender of the baby, hence a full report will be established once the post-mortem has been conducted,” Mtshali said.

The police once again appealed to the community to come forward with information regarding anyone dumping a baby.

“If a mother does not want the child, they can approach a health facility like a clinic or seek advice from social workers.”