KEY POINTS
- Keneilwe Shalaba, accused of selling her two-year-old son for R75,000, has given birth while in custody, raising ethical and legal questions about the treatment of pregnant inmates.
- Community organisations, including the ANC Women’s League and SANCO, have condemned Shalaba’s alleged actions and oppose her bail.
- Authorities confirmed that R75,000 was deposited into Shalaba’s account on the day she reported her son’s kidnapping, but the whereabouts of the missing child remain unknown.
Keneilwe Shalaba, the 32-year-old woman accused of selling her two-year-old son Kutloano Shalaba for R75,000, has reportedly given birth while in custody.
The case, which has gripped South Africa, took another dramatic turn as Shalaba, who was heavily pregnant during her last court appearance, delivered her baby behind bars.
The incident has sparked widespread debate about the ethics of detaining pregnant women and the broader issue of human trafficking in the country.
Shalaba appeared before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court last Friday, where her bail plea was postponed. It remains unclear whether she will be able to attend her next court date due to her recent childbirth.
IOL reports that Shalaba is facing serious charges, including human trafficking, conspiracy to commit an offence, and making a false statement to the police.
Her arrest in November 2024 followed her false report of her son’s kidnapping, which authorities later discovered was a cover-up for the alleged sale of the child.
“We managed to get her banking record. We know how much was deposited on the same day she alleged the child was kidnapped. R75,000 was deposited into her account on the same day she opened a kidnapping case,” said Sergeant George Motloung, the investigating officer handling the case. Despite mounting pressure, Shalaba has yet to disclose the whereabouts of her missing son, leaving the community and authorities deeply concerned.
ANC women’s league condemn Shalaba’s action
The case has drawn sharp criticism from various community organisations and political groups. The ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) in the Vaal region has publicly distanced itself from Shalaba, condemning her alleged actions and opposing her bail application.
“We now have doubts as to what she is going to do with her unborn children. What needs to happen is that there should be no bail because we are not certain whether she will disappear with the children,” said Mamello Morobi, speaking on behalf of the ANCWL.
Similarly, the South African National Civic Organization (SANCO) has voiced its disapproval. “SANCO is on record that it does not support human trafficking because it is not for society and is also against the law. Selling kids for whatever reason is not acceptable because giving birth is a gift from God. Children are a gift from God; selling them is highly unacceptable and unconstitutional in our country,” stated Nkosinathi Ndwandwe, SANCO regional chairperson.
