HIGHVELD – Police are concerned over the increase in concealments of birth in the area.
In a recent incident, a fetus was found stuck on the screen bar at the Trichardt West Water Treatment plant.
Also read: Fetus found at Trichardt’s water treatment plant
According to Trichardt Police, the process controller who works at the plant found the fetus and immediately called the police.
A case of concealment of birth was opened and is being investigated.
No one has been arrested yet.
A member from the Community Policing Forum (CPF) saw a man and woman digging near a toilet in eMbalenhle in another incident and reported it to the police.
Police responded and on arrival the man and woman led the police to a shallow grave in which two fetuses were buried.
They were arrested.
The body of a newborn baby was floating in a river in Leandra in March.
It was seen by children who were playing nearby.
According to eyewitnesses who wanted to remain anonymous, the children first thought it was a doll, but when they realised it was a baby, they alerted a man nearby.
He led the children away from the scene and summoned the police.
“It was not a nice thing to see and I am still traumatised. This river has become the river of agony. Many bad things are happening here and we have told the municipality to clean the river.”
He said people are throwing babies into the river because they know the river is dirty and filled with sewage that is mixed with milk and blood from nearby companies.
After this incident, residents blocked streets and disrupted the traffic on the R50 road to Standerton and demanded that Govan Mbeki Municipality come up with solutions to the the sewage crises in the area.
Disgruntled residents said the sewage problems have begun more than 20 years ago and that the municipality seems not to care.
Also read: [VIDEO] Fetus found in a plastic bag in Eugene Marais Street in Secunda
The protesters vowed to intensify their protests and to mobilise the masses to join them until the municipality attends to their problems.
“The situation is out of control and it is time that the municipality deals with the problem.
“We did not engage with the companies regarding the milk and blood in the water, because we believe it is the municipality’s role to implement bylaws.
“The companies are paying their rates and taxes every month and the municipality must fix this.”
Capt Bettinah Zondo, cluster police spokesman, said people must follow the right procedures when they need to terminate a pregnancy.
“People need to be aware of the consequences of committing such inhumane acts as the dumping of fetuses.
“A child is innocent and if a parent cannot afford to look after the child, they should follow the correct protocol.
“If you do not want a child, there are legal routes that you can follow besides illegal abortions and abandoning children in the sewers.
“We condemn such practices in our community.”
Govan Mbeki Municipality did not comment at time of going to press.
