Godfrey Radebe

Godfrey Radebe

A grass-cutter burst into tears when he stumbled on a month-old baby that had been dumped in the veld on one of the coldest nights of the year.

The little girl, wrapped in rags, was cold and hungry when he picked her up.

"I was shocked when I found her," Sello Mokhoro said. "She was so cold because of the adverse weather. The first thing that came into my mind was to notify the police to save her."

He said he was traumatised to hear that the baby had died, even though doctors and nurses had tried for three days to save her.

"The woman who did this does not belong in our society. I was hoping that some time during the week the police would come with the good news that the baby had survived and had a clean bill of health," a shocked and tearful Mokhoro said.

Mokhoro said he had found the infant last Sunday when he was cutting grass in open veld near Bonane outside Vanderbijilpark to earn some money.

She must have spent at least the night in the open, he said.

A nurse at the Sebokeng hospital, where the child was taken, said: "It is horrifying that anyone could dump a child in such cold weather.

"It was particularly cold at the weekend."

The incident has shocked and angered the Bonane community.

Maria Melamu said: "How can people do such a thing?

"I mean it's so cold and this is a new-born baby. Why did she decide to have sex in the first place if she was going to do this? The woman, or whoever did this, needs to be arrested and the keys must be thrown away."

Police spokesman Constable Mandla Zwane said investigations were under way and they were looking for the culprit.

"I can confirm now that the search for the mother of the child is continuing and we are hoping to arrest her soon.

"We are appealing to the community of Bonane and its surrounding areas to assist the police in tracing the woman."

Zwane said that anyone with information should urgently phone the Vanderbijlpark police station.