Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

The police have appealed to residents to help them trace the mothers of stillborn babies whose bodies popped out of a sewage plant in Thulamahashe near Bushbuckridge.

Though the police could only confirm the discovery of three stillborns, whose bodies were sent to a government mortuary for further investigations, Sowetan can reveal that a total of at least six have been found.

Women working at the plant confirmed that the three stillborns the police had taken away were a second group after three others were found.

The first discovery had not been reported to the Mhala police.

A woman, who asked not to be named, said her colleagues had buried the first three stillborns without reporting the matter and only alerted the police when a fourth one was found.

"The stillborns came through the sewage pipes into the plant over the past few weeks," the woman said.

"We were so traumatised and confused that my colleagues decided to bury the first three we found.

"Later we felt obliged to report the matter to the police."

Police spokesman Superintendent Abie Khoabane confirmed that three stillborns were recovered at the sewage plant over the past few weeks.

"We were called to the scene on various occasions and we can confirm that we recovered only three stillborns," Khoabane said.

"If anyone has information that three more were buried they should come forward so that we can investigate he matter and charge those who buried them."

He said the police believed the bodies were that of newborn babies who had been flushed down the toilets in the Thulamahashe township by mothers who did not want them for whatever reason.