Abandoned foetus found next to bucket in field
On Thursday, Witbank SAPS was called out to a field in Hertzog Street where one of the members of our community had spotted something unusual and tragic.
Debasish Mridha once said, “In the garden of humanity every baby is a fresh new flower.”
Unfortunately, eMalahleni lost a precious blossom on October 25, leaving our garden with a barren spot where it would have sprouted.
On Thursday, Witbank SAPS was called out to a field in Hertzog Street where one of the members of our community had spotted something unusual and tragic. Upon arrival at the scene, Witbank SAPS came across an abandoned foetus lying next to a bucket in the bush.
“It doesn’t appear that the foetus was carried to term and abandoned,” Capt Eddie Hall, spokesperson of the Witbank SAPS explained, “although the coroner will only be performing the autopsy and examination of the foetus on Thursday, we can confirm that the remains that were found were those of a foetus who died before being brought into the world. We cannot confirm or deny at this stage whether it came about due to a backyard abortion or whether it was left in the bush after its mother had suffered a miscarriage.”
Despite the police being unable to confirm how the foetus came to be in the field, the fact that it was found next to a bucket paints an ominous picture.
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In July 2018, the South African Government News Agency released a report stating that it is estimated that between 52% and 58% of the estimated 260 000 abortions that take place in South Africa every year are illegal.
Illegal abortion clinics are a pressing issue in our society and have become more prevalent as State sponsored resources for legal abortions have diminished.
Illegal clinics have been the cause of thousands of deaths, with many women either bleeding to death after the abortion has been completed or dying of septicaemia, an infection of the blood, due to having remaining foetal matter left inside of them after the abortion.
Many young people are unaware that not all clinics claiming to be abortion clinics are legal, or even safe.
Illegal abortion clinics are easy to spot once you know what to look out for; illegal abortion clinics usually do not operate from a clinic and have no physical address (they usually only have a cell phone number), the “doctor” often calls himself doctor but has no relevant qualifications, the clinic only delivers or sells pills and it does not see and examine patients.
In South Africa, any woman of any age can get an abortion by simply requesting it with no reasons given, if she is less than 12 weeks pregnant. This abortion may be performed by a registered nurse or midwife.
A foetus was found lying next to a bucket in this field in Hertzog Street.
Between 12 and 20 weeks, women are only allowed to terminate their pregnancy if their own physical or mental health is at stake, the baby will have severe mental or physical abnormalities, they are pregnant because of incest, they are pregnant because of rape or if they are of the personal opinion that her economic or social situation is sufficient reason for the termination of pregnancy.
This abortion has to be carried out by a medical doctor. After 20 weeks, termination is only allowed if the women’s health is at risk, and this must be done at a designated government hospital.
If any member of the public has information pertaining to the mother whose foetus was found in a field, please contact Witbank SAPS on 013 655 5052.
Members of the public are urged to reach out to registered, legal abortion clinics should they currently be considering terminating a pregnancy, or to alternatively consider offering the child up for adoption.
