Dad released after abducting son

A father who abducted his son at the end of last month has been released after spending two nights behind bars. Sicelo Mbonani was arrested on 31 October at his house in Boksburg after he took his eight-year-old son without the mother’s knowledge.

Mbonani also refused to return the child to the grandmother. He was released without any charges. He said he would approach the courts with an urgent application to see his child. He also planned to join the We are Fathers, We Are Parents group on a march to the South African Human Rights Commission on 27 November to hand over a memorandum.

Tshepo Maponyane, from the organisation, said: “It is a big concern that 60% of children are growing up without their fathers.

“Not all of them can be bad.”

“If this is not addressed, we will have a fatherless nation.”

Buang Jones, Gauteng manager of the commission, said staff were not available on the proposed date, but that Maponyane should contact him to set up a new date.

“We respect them and want to be available to receive the memorandum and hear their grievances.”

Advocate Hein Maree noted that it was against the law for a mother to withhold a child from the father because of lack of maintenance.

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