KIDS LOCKED UP, SERVED FOOD ON SHOVEL

MANZINI - Locking up children and allegedly serving their food on a shovel and a plastic bag has seen a couple being arrested.  
This incident transpired on Friday at Ekudzeni area under Ludzeludze Constituency.

The children were found in the locked house at around 3pm.  
Information gathered from bucopho of the area Solomon Hlophe, who came to the rescue of the children was that on the day the two male minors, aged 17 months and three years were discovered, he was running an errand when he heard the children weeping hysterically in a homestead adjacent to where he was passing by at around noon.

Hlophe said at first, he opted to turn a blind eye on the situation and continued with his journey because he was under the supposition that maybe the children were crying after being reprimanded for wrongdoing.

Crying

However, on his way back from the errand, Hlophe said he couldn’t believe his ears when he heard the children still crying at around 3pm.
He mentioned that the crying was intense enough to stop him on his tracks this time around as he diverted from his journey and attend to the situation.
“I went to the homestead to verify what might be wrong with the children and upon arrival, I shouted for anyone who might have been around but nobody responded,” he claimed.

He said a while later, a resident of the area informed him that the children were alone because their parents had reported for work that morning.
Hlophe asserted that the resident further informed him that it was a norm for the parents to allegedly lock the children inside the house and report for work on a daily basis.

“I was shocked by this to a point that I promptly contacted two community police members who swiftly reported to the scene,” Hlophe said.
He said upon arrival, the community police  forced entry into the house and they couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the elder child feeding the younger one food which was served on a shovel while next to them was food contained within a plastic bag that was lying idle.

Hlophe said soon after being privy of the situation, they contacted the Social Welfare Department as well as the police.

Report

The children were removed and taken to their grandfather for the night.
The couple was called and ordered to report to the police station the next day and was subsequently arrested. Acting Principal Secretary in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, Hlobsile Dlamini, confirmed the matter.

Dlamini said as soon as the children were discovered, they were taken to a safe haven where they are currently kept.
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati also confirmed the matter.
Vilakati mentioned that the couple was arrested and charged for contravening the Child Protection and Welfare Act.

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