LISTEN: Baby Siwaphiwe's mother to appear in court
The biological mother of baby Siwaphiwe Mbambo and two of her accomplices are expected to appear in the Durban Magistrates court today. The 1-month-old baby was found unharmed on Sunday, after she went missing om Friday when her mother's car was allegedly stolen.
"The three suspects face charges relating to the hijacking, as well as the kidnapping of the baby girl," police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says.
She also says that additional charges such as the contravention of the children's act and misuse of state resources could be added to the charges.
The incident had South Africans rallying behind the social media hashtag #BringBackBabySiwaphiwe, with the baby's photo shared thousands of times on social media.
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Acting National Police Commissioner, Kgomotso Phahlane has expressed his disappointment at people who take advantage of their fellow South Africans' trust and belief in humanity.
"False claims of crime must be condemned, " Lt-Gen Phahlane says.
Mathe says aspecial prosecutorhas also been assigned to the case.
Baby Siwaphiwe is currently being cared for by the Department of Social Development.
On Friday, the baby's mother reported that she had been hijacked and that the alleged hijackers sped off with her car, while her one-month-old baby was still on the back seat.
The car was later found abandoned in Montclair with the baby and the nappy bag missing.
"Too many inconsistencies emerged during the interviews, especially in terms of the initial reporting to the police of how the incident developed. Information generated from the interviews became critical in the setting up of a roadblock in Mariannhill in Durban in the early hours of Sunday morning."
Phahlane adds that the "diversion of policing resources" by people with "selfish motives" will not be tolerated.