Through my eyes

#BringBackDurbanBaby

Our community united last weekend after the abduction of the one-month-old Siwaphiwe Mbambo. As the hours passed we feared for the safe return of the abducted baby.

Our communication status turned to the hourly updates and the false reporting. Bouncing from euphoria to despair, we were all hanging in there waiting for any news on the whereabouts of this sweet little angel.

For 48 hours we all waited in shock and disbelief, waiting for news, praying for the baby Siwaphiwe's safe return. A massive search was conducted, and even a R250 000 reward was offered. And still nothingglued to our phones we waited. Whatsapping prayers and soft words of encouragement for the police involved with the search.

So there I was, unable to concentrate on anything and consumed by my wild imagination. I sat in my little world and could not help thinking about the mother. Saturday night came like a ghost and I could not sleep. I tossed and turned feeling completely drained. Terrified and overwhelmed. Who would want to hurt this defenceless child I kept repeating the question in my brain.

Then on Saturday night when baby Siwaphiwe was still missing, dark thoughts entered my mind. I thought of the Muti killings, it is estimated that between 50 to 300 lives are lost to ritual murderers every year. Many Muti murders are of young children whose body parts are wrongly believed to provide potent medicine. Despite South Africa being the most developed African economy, a large part of our population still believes in the power of black magic.

Then I thought that maybe this deranged abductor has lost a baby and now wants to keep this strange woman's baby because he was sickI was going slightly delirious with worry. So many scenarios ran through my brain, one thing was for certain, whoever did this was certainly not well in the head.

It must be so tragic to loose a baby. It must be every mother's nightmare. If it was me I would be crawling out of my skin with shock and worry if my baby was abducted.

So what was this mother thinking

It is so sad but in every relationship drama or marital breakup, the children are always the ones that are faced with the worst punishment. Adults are just so selfish and do not think of the long term damage that their actions are causing their children. So much emotional trauma is inflicted on the innocent's minds and souls and it stays with them for the rest of their lives.

I am so sorry for this sad family, whatever their issues are I hope they manage to resolve it so that baby Siwaphiwe can have a normal life!

How wonderful that the whole community united in support of baby Siwaphiwe's safe return. Now can we just stay united without having to have a reason to do so