A 23-year-old woman from Nkamazi has been convicted of concealing the birth of a child after terminating a pregnancy and disposing of the foetus in a maize field.
Nothando Dlamini appeared before Pigg’s Peak Magistrate Nkosingiphile Maseko, where she was charged with contravening Section 2(1) of the Concealment of Birth Act of 1943.
The court heard that on November 21, Dlamini gave birth in the Nkamazi area and subsequently disposed of the body in nearby fields in an attempt to conceal the birth.
When she appeared in court, Dlamini pleaded guilty to the charge. The Crown did not lead any evidence.
In mitigation, the accused pleaded for leniency, describing her actions as a mistake and expressing remorse. She also told the court that she was unemployed.
Before passing sentence, Magistrate Maseko observed that the Concealment of Birth Act is an outdated statute and suggested that Parliament should consider reviewing it.
He noted that the penalties prescribed under the law are still very low despite the seriousness of the offence.
The court then sentenced Dlamini to three years’ imprisonment or, alternatively, a fine of E3 000.
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Cases of a similar nature are reportedly common in the region.
In a separate matter, a 45-year-old woman from Madelezini, Precious Shongwe, was arrested and charged with concealment of birth after allegedly terminating the pregnancy of her 19-year-old stepdaughter.
It was alleged that Shongwe gave the complainant a concoction, claiming it would relieve her pain, which allegedly led to the termination of the pregnancy.
The complainant testified that she began bleeding shortly after taking the medication and informed Shongwe, who reportedly remarked that the pregnancy might have been terminated.
In her defence, Shongwe told the court that she acted out of concern, alleging that the complainant had previously gone missing from home for three days.
The complainant further stated that Shongwe had earlier advised her husband to stop paying her school fees, suggesting that the girl might be pregnant at the time.
The matter is part of a growing number of cases raising concern over illegal terminations and concealment of birth within communities.
