By Anita Dangazele
A toddler born in a Senegalese prison to a South African mother, who was arrested for drug-trafficking, has been repatriated and arrived in SA on Sunday morning.
The one-year-old arrived with social workers at OR Tambo International Airport, following the intervention of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation through its International Social Services (ISS) directorate in August last year.
Social Development spokesperson Lumka Oliphant said the mother was arrested in February 2023, and within days of her arrest she gave birth to the child.
“Due to the mother’s incarceration, the child is considered to be in distress since a prison is not a conducive environment for the upbringing of the child.”
“The government of South Africa through DIRCO initiated the process of repatriating the child by first visiting the mother to ascertain her wishes about her child,” Oliphant said.
She said the toddler had been in the care of the mother inside the prison and that the mother had nominated the child’s grandmother as the guardian in the country while she serves her sentence in Senegal.
Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu said the impact of drugs on children’s lives was concerning.
“The department will always put the best interest of the child first, however, we remain concerned about the issue of drugs and what it can do to children.
“This was an unborn baby who ended up in distress in a foreign country because the mother was arrested for trafficking drugs. We cannot stress more the importance of young people to make the right decisions about their lives.”
DIRCO has repatriated a total of 21 children who were distressed in foreign countries since 2015.
Pictured above: The toddler being welcomed by family at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday.
Image Source: X
