Nation in shock as mother sells her own child

THE tragic case of a two-year-old boy allegedly sold by his mother for R75 000 has sent shockwaves through South Africa, reigniting urgent questions about the country's deepening social, psychological, and spiritual crisis.

- STAFF REPORTER

Keneilwe Shalaba, 28, appeared this week before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate's Court on charges of human trafficking and conspiracy to commit a crime. She is accused of selling her toddler son, Kutlwano, last November.

The boy’s body was discovered last week following the arrest of a traditional healer allegedly connected to the case. According to police, the money - R75 000 - was deposited into Shalaba's bank account on the same day the child went missing.

The transaction and the months-long silence that followed left the local community stunned, and the courtroom was packed with outraged residents demanding justice.

"This isn't just a legal case. It's a symptom of a much deeper spiritual and societal sickness," said one local pastor who joined community members outside the court.

As more details emerge, so too does the question: how could a mother sell her own child?

Experts believe the answer lies not only in poverty and desperation but in a far more unsettling realm - spiritual decay and psychological collapse.