By BAKANG MOKOTO
28 January 2026- The parents of an infant were each sentenced to five years imprisonment after they were found guilty of child neglect by the Kakamas Regional Court on 23 January 2026.
The father (39) man and the mother (32), were arrested in Kakamas on 21 September 2025, after their daughter was found in a poor physical condition and also showing signs of neglect.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Litabe said the infant was admitted for medical tests at the Harry Surtie Hospital in Upington, after she was removed from her parents care by social workers, prior to their arrest. Litabe said they were both released on warning and the child was placed in the care of her grandmother.
“Both sentences for the couple, were wholly suspended for five years. Sergeant Derick Dippenaar of the Kakamas Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit was assigned to investigate the case,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Zweletlanga Fatman Mgcawu District Police Commissioner, Major General Monica Sebili, commended Dippenaar for his diligent investigative work ensuring that the parents are held accountable for the neglect of the child.
The Guardian 