Durban family of kidnapped newborn pleads for child's safe return

The family says the child's mother, 31-year-old Elizabeth Zama from Lamontville, was befriended by an elderly woman who offered to buy clothes and food for the now 10-day-old on Pixley Kaseme Street on Monday.

The child's aunt Xolile Zama says the two went to a supermarket where the woman gave the mother some money to buy groceries for the baby and said that she would wait with the baby outside while the mother shops.

"My cousin took the thins and the lady took the baby. She said shed going to stand here while you pay for everything. My cousin was like, ok I trust her because she's an old woman I don't think she could do something. She gave the baby and bag.

"As she was paying at the till, she looked - the baby was there. She dropped her head to pick up the groceries; the woman disappeared.

"She said she left everything on the counter, ran outside. The lady had took off with the baby. She is really devastated, she has been sick from that day. She is not doing well. We are not able to sleep."

Zama says they are constantly praying for the baby's safe return.

"I don't understand because she is a woman, how can you rake a baby from another woman. How can you let another woman suffer. We are pleading, who ever took the baby.

'We are begging him or her, even if you can take the baby to the nearest police station or drop the baby off where he can be handed over to a safe place. We are pleading with you to bring the baby back."