Durban – The department of social development in KwaZulu-Natal has condemned the killing of a nine-month-old baby girl, whose life was taken allegedly by her father on Saturday at Palmiet Road informal settlement, Durban.
According to department spokesperson Mhlaba Memela, they had noted the “horrible incident”. He said that it was saddening when parents used their children in their fights.
“An innocent child had to lose her life because one parent did not want to accept that the relationship failed,” he said.
Memela said that the MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza had dispatched assistance to those who were affected by the incident.
“Following this incident, MEC assigned social workers to be in contact with the child’s mother and provide psycho-social support, trauma debriefing and counselling to the family and neighbours.
“We find solace that the father of the child was arrested and he was able to point out where he dumped the child,” he said.
Memela called on the justice system to set an example with the suspect, by sending him to prison for a long time.
According to the emotional infant's mother, Siphesihle Zondi, 22, the baby’s father threw her off a bridge after an intense quarrel with her.
She said that he had forcibly entered their home and demanded that a DNA test be performed.
“He kept insisting on wanting to take Lerato and I told him to facilitate the DNA testing as he was the one who was adamant on that,” said Zondi.
She said that the argument intensified and he tried to reach for a weapon.
“When we were fighting, my sister took the baby to hide her with one of our neighbours.
“The neighbours came and stopped him and I ran to call the police using a neighbour's cellphone. While I was doing that, we heard a loud burst and the flames were spreading intensely even to the house in which my baby was,” she said.
Zondi said that when she went to look for her baby, the neighbour told her that in a state of confusion and shock, she had handed the baby to the suspect.
“We looked for him everywhere and eventually found him the following morning in hiding. Although he initially denied it, he eventually confessed to taking the baby and showed the police where he had thrown her over a bridge with rocks and sewer-filled water,” she said.
Zondi said that she had been dating the father of her baby for a year and nine months, and had broken up with him two months ago.
“We had broken up but he would not accept that. He had been sending me inbox messages on Facebook and demanding DNA testing ever since I got a protection order against him and a letter of demand for him to return my two phones which he had taken, and to support his child,” she said.
Provincial police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo confirmed the incident. She said that a case of murder was opened at Sydenham police station and that a 25-year-old suspect had been arrested.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE