Kwahlelwa Tiwane's parents shocked baby snatching suspect is matric pupil

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Cape Town – The family of three-month-old Kwahlelwa Tiwane will tomorrow come face to face with an 18-year-old matric pupil arrested for allegedly being involved in the infant’s abduction. The teen is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court. Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said they had questioned a suspect, but no charges had yet been laid. “The person is appearing in court on Thursday. However, I cannot call them a suspect yet because our investigation is ongoing and the person is not arrested, but taken in for questioning. “As a result of an ongoing investigation, SAPS detectives are questioning someone. Due to the sensitive nature of this investigation, this office is not able to divulge more information,” Rwexana said.

The family said they were shocked to learn that the person appearing in court was a teenager. They have pleaded that she tell them where their baby is.

Khwahlelwa’s mother, Asanda, said the woman approached her at their home last week, offering assistance with social grants and food vouchers. She lured Asanda to a fake office in Parow, and this was the last time she saw the woman with her baby.

The baby’s father, Siyanda Thugani, said all they wanted was for her to say where the child is.

“She won’t give us full information. She tells her lawyer everything, but he is asking for bail because she is under age.

"He is saying she should be given bail because she is still at school. We don’t want anything but our child,” he said.

The incident has left other mothers in the area feeling scared and uneasy, as they said it could have been they who lost a child this way.

Nomasomi Feni said the woman had identified herself as Monica from Site B in Khayelitsha, and said she registered people for food vouchers.

She also gave people R1 000 in vouchers and groceries and assisted with birth certificates, Feni said.

“When she came, I was busy doing the washing and I let her hold my baby while she spoke. I was comfortable around her.

“I was very shocked to hear that she took the baby. She named two organisations that she worked for, so we had no reason to think she was lying,” Feni said.

She said after they heard that she was implicated in the abduction, they tried to call her but she did not answer.

“I am so hurt; she left us feeling scared. We would usually leave our kids when we go to the toilet, for instance. But now I lock up and leave.”

Ward councillor Xolisa Ngwekazi said he was assisting the family as best he could.

“The problem now is, the community will trust no one coming with assistance because of the precedent that was set. It will make my work as a councillor more difficult.

"Every time someone wants to visit a family, I will have to stop everything I am doing to be there because they are scared.”

Cape Times