Baby boy bludgeoned to death
Man from Mthatha visiting relatives arrested after drunken rampage
A seven-month-old baby boy has been bludgeoned to death in the Eastern Cape.
In the early hours of Saturday morning‚ a 25-year-old man allegedly had a drunken argument with his relatives‚ including a woman believed to be the infant’s mother.
The suspect‚ who has been arrested‚ allegedly bludgeoned the child to death at Thabo Mbeki township outside Flagstaff.
The child’s disabled grandmother was stabbed more than 20 times. She is recovering in hospital.
Police spokesperson Captain Nozuko Handile said: “Police are investigating a case of murder after the infant was killed, allegedly by the suspect.
“The incident happened about 2am on Saturday.”
The man appeared in the Flagstaff magistrate’s court on Monday to face a charge of murder.
“An attempted murder charge would be added if it is suspected he’s the one who stabbed the woman‚” said Handile.
Community members protested on Monday outside the court.
One of those who joined the protest was Zoleka Capa‚ an MP and chair of parliament’s portfolio committee on social development.
Capa‚ who is from the area‚ said: “It is alleged that the suspect was from Mthatha and visiting his relatives in the township. He dropped his bag and went to Flagstaff town‚ where he ended up having some drinks.”
It is alleged the man returned home and started to argue with his relatives.
Capa said when a woman left the home to go to a night vigil in another village‚ the suspect allegedly started to attack the remaining family members.
“About midnight‚ he allegedly started stabbing them.
“A few managed to escape through the window‚ but a disabled person could not escape. The person was stabbed many times and she’s in hospital‚ lucky to be alive‚” she said.
The man then allegedly grabbed the seven-month-old baby and ran after those who had escaped.
“What I gathered when I was investigating this, is that the suspect used the baby’s body and head to push open a door of a house. . . That’s when the baby died‚” said Capa.
The accused will remain in custody until his next court appearance on April 1.
The child’s uncle, Zandise Sithole, said the family was in shock. “We really can’t express how saddened we are by this gruesome murder of my nephew.
“We don’t know why [the attacker] would not leave the innocent child out of this.”
Khula Community Development Project director Petros Majola said this was a tragic incident that had left the entire Eastern Cape traumatised.
“That baby was defenceless and could not fight for himself. The child had no idea what the fight was about‚ but the suspect allegedly used him to fight his battle with his relatives,” said Majola.