The discovery of two dead baby bodies in the township of Soshanguve in just one week has raised the alarm about the ever increasing social problems in Tshwane’s townships.
On Tuesday, August 15, the body of a dead baby was discovered at a dumping site behind Raikana Primary School in Soshanguve Block P, and the following day the body of another newborn baby was found at a dump site in Soshanguve, this time in Block HH.
This has sparked concern from civil society and stakeholders about the levels of social support in the area.
Mpho Baloyi, chairperson of The Transformation Alliance (TTA), Tshwane region, said the party was concerned about the deteriorating state which the community of the township north of Tshwane was heading towards.
From high levels of crime, rape, murder and recently the abandonment of babies, Baloyi said the township was fast becoming a “shadow of its former self”.
Baloyi said the alarming rate of babies being abandoned was also highlighted by the Baby Savers South Africa organisation, which reported that as many as 3 500 babies were abandoned each year in South Africa, making it close to 300 a month.
“Of this number, even more babies are found dead. For every surviving abandoned baby, two are found dead."
Baloyi pleaded with parents to reach out for help or even approach channels such as the party’s help desk, which he said was set up to mitigate instances where parents felt overwhelmed.