Johannesburg - Abuse is prohibited, whether done by men or women, and that is the lesson for a mother who was seen badly kicking and standing on the neck of her toddler.
According to those who are close to the mother, she recorded the video to spite her baby’s daddy.
The video, which went viral, sparked anger from people from all walks of life, who cried foul at the woman who was capable of harming her own child in an effort to spite a father who had left her nest.
After the video hit various social media platforms, Twitter users, also known as “black Twitter”, probed the matter until they exposed her name and her pictures.
The dad brought the matter to the attention of the Norwood police station; a case of grievous bodily harm (GBH) was registered, and the matter was immediately transferred to the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Investigations (FCS) Unit.
Gauteng police said it would leave no stone unturned in ensuring justice for the one-year-old, who was seen being assaulted in a video by his mother.
Gauteng SAPS provincial spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said the mother appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
“The mother was released, and the matter was not placed on the court roll as the SAPS was instructed to first collect both cellphones of both parents for further investigation,” Masondo said.
The child was removed by the SAPS and handed over to the Department of Social Development (DSD) for placement.
Gauteng Department of Social Development MEC Mbali Hlophe expressed her satisfaction that the child was placed in safe care for his protection.
Hlophe said with their NPO, the Gauteng Department of Social Development, has made arrangements to take the child to a children’s home after his visit to a hospital, where he received a full health assessment to verify the extent of injuries from the ordeal.
Children's Act No 38 of 2005 makes provision for the identification of children in need of care and protection. Section 150(2) identifies a child being maltreated, abused, deliberately neglected, or degraded by a parent as a child in need of care and protection.
Hlophe said a case of child abuse was under investigation by SAPS.
“It’s horrendous that this incident takes place during Women’s Month, when we should be celebrating women and promoting exemplary female figures,” said Hlophe.
"The child is safe, albeit traumatised, as he spent much of the day crying. We condemn such acts of child abuse and make a call to society to stamp out child abuse and to report such acts immediately. We owe it to our children to create a safe and loving environment for them,” Hlophe said.
She said the matter would be taken to the Children's Court today as a child was in need of care in terms of the Children's Act No 38 of 2005.
The Star