Mzamomhle mother Phumza Kadeni’s eight-month-old child was removed from her by a court on the basis of a letter from social workers who argued that her one-room shack was not a healthy environment for a baby.
The letter was placed before East London child court magistrate Francois Goosen by Christian family NGO CMR.
The Dispatch visited Kadeni’s home last month. Made of corrugated iron, it was sparsely but neatly furnished, with one bed and a kitchen counter with crockery, and a television. It contained some of Kadeni’s household items. It had no cupboards or wardrobes.
Yesterday, Kadeni said she built a new home over the Easter weekend.
“Social workers told me that my shack was too small for my kids, so I decided to build a bigger place because I felt that maybe having a bigger home would get them to return my baby.”
Goosen told the Dispatch yesterday: “The order was issued in the absence of the mother on information from the CMR. The court ordered the CMR, and an independent psychologist, to investigate and submit a report to me on 26 April.
“In terms of Section 55 of the Childrens’ Act, the court also ordered that a legal representative be appointed to represent the child.”
In the letter, which was seen by the Dispatch, the organisation argued that Komga magistrate Michelle Pillay’s Gonubie home was a better environment for Kadeni’s child.
The letter said it was in “the best interests of the child.
“A child is in need of stability and a nurturing environment.”
The CMR letter states: “Due to the increase of parental neglect at Mzamomhle Township we wanted to make sure that the child’s best interests were met.”
The letter was issued on March 26 and the court order was made the next day.
Goosen ordered that Pillay, who is Kadeni’s former employer, was granted temporary custody of the baby for 30 days.
According to Kadeni, the court hearing took place without her being present, and without her knowledge or consent.
CMR states in the letter: “This is not about who is the better parent, but it is about what is best for the child.
“It is imperative to ensure that this child knows and builds an attachment with her mother.”
The letter states that Kadeni’s living conditions were found by CMR to be below par for child-raising.
CMR wrote: “Kadeni reported that she owns a one-roomed shack with one bed, which she was sharing with her niece and seven-year-old boy.
“The social worker told her that it was not healthy for the baby to share a bed with three people.”
According to the letter, after the child remained in Pillay’s care, CMR decided that the baby needed to first “spend time” with its maternal grandmother before it could be returned to the mother as the child had formed “a strong bond with Pillay”.
In the letter, Pillay accuses Kadeni of “not showing interest in her child”.
Pillay accused Kadeni of being a neglectful mother after she saw Kadeni’s older son with “a head full of sores”.
According to the letter, Kadeni told CMR that in February she wanted her daughter returned to her, but CMR saw the need to facilitate a reunification process before the child was returned to its mother.
In the letter Kadeni said whenever she tried to take her baby away from Pillay, “she appeared not to be happy when she was intending to take her child”.
Questions sent to CMR chief social worker Gaye Mooineya went unanswered.
One-room shack no place to raise a baby, says NGO
The letter was placed before East London child court magistrate Francois Goosen by Christian family NGO CMR.
The Dispatch visited Kadeni’s home last month. Made of corrugated iron, it was sparsely but neatly furnished, with one bed and a kitchen counter with crockery, and a television. It contained some of Kadeni’s household items. It had no cupboards or wardrobes.
Yesterday, Kadeni said she built a new home over the Easter weekend.
“Social workers told me that my shack was too small for my kids, so I decided to build a bigger place because I felt that maybe having a bigger home would get them to return my baby.”
Goosen told the Dispatch yesterday: “The order was issued in the absence of the mother on information from the CMR. The court ordered the CMR, and an independent psychologist, to investigate and submit a report to me on 26 April.
“In terms of Section 55 of the Childrens’ Act, the court also ordered that a legal representative be appointed to represent the child.”
In the letter, which was seen by the Dispatch, the organisation argued that Komga magistrate Michelle Pillay’s Gonubie home was a better environment for Kadeni’s child.
The letter said it was in “the best interests of the child.
“A child is in need of stability and a nurturing environment.”
The CMR letter states: “Due to the increase of parental neglect at Mzamomhle Township we wanted to make sure that the child’s best interests were met.”
The letter was issued on March 26 and the court order was made the next day.
Goosen ordered that Pillay, who is Kadeni’s former employer, was granted temporary custody of the baby for 30 days.
According to Kadeni, the court hearing took place without her being present, and without her knowledge or consent.
CMR states in the letter: “This is not about who is the better parent, but it is about what is best for the child.
“It is imperative to ensure that this child knows and builds an attachment with her mother.”
The letter states that Kadeni’s living conditions were found by CMR to be below par for child-raising.
CMR wrote: “Kadeni reported that she owns a one-roomed shack with one bed, which she was sharing with her niece and seven-year-old boy.
“The social worker told her that it was not healthy for the baby to share a bed with three people.”
According to the letter, after the child remained in Pillay’s care, CMR decided that the baby needed to first “spend time” with its maternal grandmother before it could be returned to the mother as the child had formed “a strong bond with Pillay”.
In the letter, Pillay accuses Kadeni of “not showing interest in her child”.
Pillay accused Kadeni of being a neglectful mother after she saw Kadeni’s older son with “a head full of sores”.
According to the letter, Kadeni told CMR that in February she wanted her daughter returned to her, but CMR saw the need to facilitate a reunification process before the child was returned to its mother.
In the letter Kadeni said whenever she tried to take her baby away from Pillay, “she appeared not to be happy when she was intending to take her child”.
Questions sent to CMR chief social worker Gaye Mooineya went unanswered.
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