Municipal waste collectors discovered the body of a newborn baby girl inside a rubbish bin in Dassie Road, Vrygrond, on Thursday morning.
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Municipal waste collectors made a grim discovery when they found the body of a newborn baby girl in a rubbish bin in Dassie Road, Vrygrond.
Western Cape police spokesperson Thembakazi Mpendukana said Muizenberg SAPS has opened an inquest docket for investigation on Thursday, August 27, 2026.
“An inquest docket has been opened by Muizenberg SAPS for further investigation, and no arrest has been made yet,” said Mpendukana.
Ward councillor Mandy Marr said the City’s Solid Waste collection team discovered the baby while carrying out its rounds.
“Our Neighbourhood Safety Officers (NSOs) were on scene and secured the area until SAPS arrived to take over,” she said.
Marr appealed to pregnant women or mothers who are struggling to care for their babies to seek help.
“Please contact me, or one of the community leaders, such as Mymoena. We will assist you in complete confidence. My heart goes out to our community,” she said.
Mymoena Scholtz, community leader and founder of Where Rainbows Meet, said she was heartbroken that incidents involving babies being abandoned continue to occur in different communities.
“We are doing a great injustice to the innocent lives that we are responsible for. There are so many places one can go to for support, no judgment, no questions asked,” she said.
Scholtz said the Department of Social Development could provide support to mothers, while Where Rainbows Meet provides teenagers with baby products weekly.
“No teen is alone. They need to learn that unprotected sex will bring a baby into a world when you are not ready. Therefore, both males and females must learn to protect themselves so a child must not be dumped in a bin or anywhere to get rid of a life,” she said.
“We have to be strict as parents and start speaking openly with our children, both males and females.”
Pregnant women or mothers who are struggling and need support can contact Scholtz on 073 261 8864. Call DSD at 021 483 5045 or 0800 220 250 or Childline at 116.
