The discovery of a dead baby stashed in a dustbin on Thursday 8 June, in Capricorn, has once again raised the question of safe relinquishing laws.
According to Muizenberg police spokesperson Capt Stephen Knapp, the body of a baby boy was found in Harmony Road, Capricorn.
“On Thursday 8 June, the body of a male newborn baby was found in the dustbin in Harmony Road, Capricorn. An inquest docket has been registered at Muizenberg police and is currently under investigation.
“If any member of the public is aware of any woman that was pregnant and no longer is with the absence of a child, report it to detective W/O Millicent Trichardt on 021 787 9014 or 082 411 2455.”
Mymoena Scholtz, founder of Where Rainbows Meet Training and Development in Vrygrond near Capricorn, says it is not known whether the body was dumped on a Thursday morning or Wednesday evening.
“They don’t know who the mother is and whether the body was dumped in the morning or evening.”
Meanwhile, Lucinda Evans, women’s rights activist and founder of Philisa Abafazi Bethu Women Centre in Steenberg, said the government needs to start the conversation about safe relinquishing laws. The centre advocates for and serves survivors of domestic.
“Safe relinquishing laws speak about women who are able to take their babies to a hospital for adoption without being vilified. When will government legalise this?”
Evans added that residents often become infuriated when the body of a child is found yet there are no protection laws for the mother and child to safely and legally relinquish a baby.
“When babies are dumped, then we are mad and sad and sometimes babies die, then women are accused of murder.
“When within the children’s act are we going to create safer places for women?
“When it comes to the dumping of a baby, as an activist, protector and human rights activist I am not defending that babies are being dumped, but with the government going around the block for so long, we just don’t have protection laws to protect the baby and in the domestic violence act there is nothing to protect women.”
Women who feel they have no choice but to give up their babies are urged to do so safely and anonymously at the Philisa Abafazi Bethu baby saver at 57 Strauss Street, Steenberg.
