Woman buries child alive in 20cm pit

Thobekile Mkhosana-Matimba was told this at the initial appearance of Bester Ndlovu who is now facing charges of concealing the birth of a child.

Ndlovu (43) was not formally charged although she indicated that she is admitting to the charge and was remanded in custody to 3 November for the plea of guilty recording.

The prosecutor, Mazhar Petkar, asked that Ndlovu be remanded in custody, as there are reports that she is talking of killing herself.

On 23 October, Ndlovu gave birth to a live baby boy.

It is the State case that thereafter she dug a pit and buried the baby alive.

On 25 October, a dog exhumed the body and was found eating the child’s intestines.

A report was made to the police leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.

According to the Request for Remand Form, Ndlovu was still bleeding when she was arrested and the remains of the baby were recovered a few metres from her house.

Appearing before the same court, a new farmer from Village 3, Umfazimithi Farm in Umguza was remanded out of custody on his own cognisance of charges of starting veld fires.

Canaan Ngulube (46) was not formally charged with contravening Section 78 (b) (ii) of the Forestry Act.

Petkar told the court that on 24 October, Ngulube lit some stalks after clearing his farming land.

It is the State case that he failed to control the fire and it became a veld fire and burnt his neighbours’ farm.

An assessment of the damage is yet to be made.