Pretoria - “MABACEDE ngifuna ukuya ekhaya” (Let them finish I want to go home) said alleged kidnapper More Blessings Marumbe as she appeared via video link from the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.
Marumbe was appearing in court for the kidnapping of five-month-old Nhluto Baloyi from her home in Orchards on April 19.
During the brief appearance, the State prosecutor informed the court that investigations had been concluded and the matter was ready to proceed.
The magistrate announced that the case would proceed in the regional court for a trial date to be set.
Baby Nhluto disappeared from the Orchards complex where the family lives on April 19 after Marumbe who was hired as her nanny the previous evening by the mother took her.
“I met her at the beginning of March when I was walking to Spar. She told me she was struggling. We exchanged numbers so I could help her look for a job,” said mother Thandi Baloyi.
She said the woman kept calling her to see if she had found her a job.
However when Baloyi’s maternity leave came to an end she found she had no one to leave her baby with because her only nanny had not arrived for work.
The mother only realised her baby was missing when she got back from work.
Marumbe had allegedly also stolen Baloyi’s son’s cellphone, through which she was tracked.
The cellphone led them to Soshanguve and Ga-Rankuwa. The nanny and the baby were found at Ga-rankuwa zone 20.
It is believed the woman - who is from Zimbabwe - may have stolen the baby to prove to her boyfriend she had been pregnant and had given birth.
Speaking to the Pretoria News, Baloyi said she had opted to take her child to Giyani, Limpopo to stay with her grandmother instead.
“After that incident we thought it would be best to take her to her granny. So far she is doing well and as a family we’re coping as best as we can.”
The case is to continue at the Pretoria Magistrates' court on July 14.