"After the incident, she went back to sleep and pretended as if nothing happened."
A 29-year-old mother of four appeared in the Mbibane Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for allegedly concealing the birth of her son, Mpumalanga police said.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said Annah Bapela's new-born son had survived in a pit toilet for a few days.
"It is alleged that on Saturday, the 20th of December 2014, Annah Bapela gave birth to her baby boy while she visited her boyfriend. She then woke up late in the evening and concealed the baby in a toilet pit," Mohlala said.
"After the incident, she went back to sleep and pretended as if nothing happened. On Sunday, the father of the baby noticed a blanket in a bucket left abandoned behind the toilet pit."
Mohlala said the man contacted Bapela's cousin and on Tuesday Bapela told her cousin that she concealed her child immediately after birth due to the fact that she had three other children to look after.
The cousin called the police and arrangements were made to retrieve the baby from the pit.
Mohlala said the baby was retrieved alive from the pit and hospitalised.
"Reports suggest that the baby is recuperating very well. Bapela was arrested and charged hence her appearance before the court and her case was postponed to 06 January 2015, for legal aid representation and currently she has been granted R1000 bail."
Acting provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Meshack Nogwanya said government provided for those who could not make ends meet socially and said it was not necessary for women to allegedly throw babies in pit toilets.
Newborn found alive after mother of 3 dumped him in toilet pit
"After the incident, she went back to sleep and pretended as if nothing happened."
A 29-year-old mother of four appeared in the Mbibane Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for allegedly concealing the birth of her son, Mpumalanga police said.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said Annah Bapela's new-born son had survived in a pit toilet for a few days.
"It is alleged that on Saturday, the 20th of December 2014, Annah Bapela gave birth to her baby boy while she visited her boyfriend. She then woke up late in the evening and concealed the baby in a toilet pit," Mohlala said.
"After the incident, she went back to sleep and pretended as if nothing happened. On Sunday, the father of the baby noticed a blanket in a bucket left abandoned behind the toilet pit."
Mohlala said the man contacted Bapela's cousin and on Tuesday Bapela told her cousin that she concealed her child immediately after birth due to the fact that she had three other children to look after.
The cousin called the police and arrangements were made to retrieve the baby from the pit.
Mohlala said the baby was retrieved alive from the pit and hospitalised.
"Reports suggest that the baby is recuperating very well. Bapela was arrested and charged hence her appearance before the court and her case was postponed to 06 January 2015, for legal aid representation and currently she has been granted R1000 bail."
Acting provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Meshack Nogwanya said government provided for those who could not make ends meet socially and said it was not necessary for women to allegedly throw babies in pit toilets.