Woman linked to Gqeberha newborn kidnappings appears in court

One of the two women arrested in connection to the abduction of two newborn babies from a Gqeberha hospital appeared in court on Friday.

Sinovuyo Rabula, 26, appeared in the New Brighton Magistrates’ Court following her arrest on Tuesday and faces two counts of kidnapping.

She is due to appear in court again on 30 May 2025 for a formal bail application.

Woman faked sickness and accessed maternity ward

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Eastern Cape Luxolo Tyali said the woman entered Dora Nginza Hospital under false pretences of experiencing abdominal pain on 20 May.

The premature baby boys – one four days old and the other two days old at the time – were being treated in the public hospital’s neonatal ward.

“[She] accessed the maternity ward without authorisation, and removed the infants while posing as a new mother,” Tyali said.

Searched launched after mothers discover their babies missing

A frantic search to find the missing babies was launched by the Gqeberha police’s Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit and health authorities.

This after the mother of one of the infants discovered her baby was missing when she went to the maternity ward’s premature unit with the intention of breastfeeding him at 8.30pm.

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She had last seen her son at around 7pm when she left him after a feed.

A second mother later arrived at the ward and discovered that her baby son was also missing.

Women captured on hospital CCTV cameras

When questioned about the incident on Tuesday morning, Eastern Cape health department spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, said a security guard stationed in the maternity building tried to stop two women who were attempting to access the ward carrying a bag.

“The ladies were assumed to be breastfeeding. However, one of them managed to evade the security guard and gain access to the nursery carrying the same bag.”

Kupelo added that CCTV footage showed one of the women later using a different door to exit with the bag.

Suspects arrested

South African Police Service spokesperson Sandra Janse van Rensburg said at the time that one of the police officers noticed two women carrying infants while he was exiting the premises.

“He immediately approached them and started questioning the women,” Janse van Rensburg said.

“The suspicion of the member was positive after the infants were identified as the two stolen babies.”

Rabula and her 25-year-old alleged accomplice were then arrested.

*Additional reporting by Cornelia Le Roux

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