Inquest opened after toddler’s body recovered from pit-toilet

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Mpumalanga Police have opened an inquest after the remains of a one-year-old toddler, Smangaliso Mokoena were retrieved from a pit toilet in Bushbuckridge.

The mother of the child allegedly told her family members that she disposed of the child in the pit toilet.

Police Spokesperson Donald Mdluli has confirmed that the mother of the child has been taken in for questioning.

“We are waiting for the postmortem to be conducted somewhere this week. There was also a report that was given that the mother was taken in for questioning. However, we believe that the direction will be obtained through this investigations, part of it which will be the forensic. However, the police are still on the case and are investigating,” says Mdluli.

Meanwhile, Limpopo’s Social Development MEC, Florence Radzilani, has expressed concerns on the gruesome crime incidents in the province. She was reacting after a one-year-old child was strangled to death allegedly by a close relative at Zuma View in Bela Bela.

In another incident, a 17-year-old girl was raped and robbed at Moletji outside Polokwane.

Two women were also killed in Malamulele.

Spokesperson for the MEC, Joshua Kwapa has described the incidents as outrageous.

“Radzilani is outraged by the weekend littered with crime which includes the murder of a one-year-old toddler. It is preposterous and these crimes must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Who in their right mind strangles a one-year-old toddler? This is horrendous, and the fact that the suspect has been arrested we hope for a positive prosecution, which will bring justice to the victim and his family.”