More than 40 abandoned babies rescued in Phoenix, Chatsworth Verulam and Tongaat - IOL

Reaction Unit South Africa officers with an abandoned baby who was found at the Gandhi Park in Verulam in June.

Child welfare organisations and first responders in KwaZulu-Natal are raising the alarm following a disturbing surge abandoned babies, recording over 40 cases since early January.

They are calling for support due to the rising number of abandoned babies found across Durban, with some found dumped in crates, bushes, pathways, outside police stations, parks, and toilets.

Dr Daniel Chettiar, founder of the DSK Group, a non-profit organisation in the north of Durban, said it had been “raining abandoned babies in the last few months in Durban.”

He said from January, his organisation was instrumental in assisting with the rescue of over 40 abandoned babies in the Phoenix, Verulam and Tongaat areas.

He said they could not understand what was driving mothers to abandon their babies.

“How can a mother take her child and throw him or her away? 

“Although we are not a child care organisation, we are receiving an influx of calls as if we are a baby abandonment centre. Our social workers respond, and we then hand the cases over to the Department of Social Development.

“To offer support to the organisations which care for the babies, we have launched the baby item collection drive.

“We have distributed baby item collection boxes at shops around Durban and Johannesburg, and are calling for donations of gently used baby items, toiletries, diapers, and bottles.

Michelle Potgieter from Shepherds Keep, a home for abandoned and abused babies based inn Bluff, said they tto had noted a surge of abandoned babies this year.

She said a newborn baby girl was found dumped at the army base in Bluff, and she was found deep in the bushes with her skin peeling from the sun exposure.

“The baby girl was covered in red ants and we had to pick them off her with tweezers. She survived, and has since been adopted.

“In recent months, a baby boy was found tied in a packet, one was found in the banks of a river, and another was found in a bin packet.

“A two-month-old baby was found naked in a box outside the police station in Bluff. The baby was severely malnourished, and he had developmental delays and stunting.

“Babies were found abandoned in parks, pit latrines, and bushes.

“In the last week, we have received seven cases of abandoned babies.”

Potgieter  said the majority of the cases were coming from the Chatsworth area.

“There has been an exponential increase of abused babies in Chatsworth, and we work closely with and extensively with the Chatsworth Child Welfare. 

“But the problem of abandoned babies is a crisis across Durban. We need stricter laws against those who abandon their children for this to stop,” she added.

To contribute to the DSK Group’s baby item collection drive, call Daniel Chettiar on 078 688 6623.