Durban - Durban residents rallied in a frenzied search on Friday night for a missing one-month-old baby, scouring bushes, streets and even
cemeteries.
Late on Friday night there was still no sign of the baby, who was taken in a hijacking in Greyville at noon on Friday.
Armed with torches and raincoats and with medical help on standby, hundreds of people, community policing forum members, police and emergency and security officials organised themselves into voluntary groups using social platforms to help with the search for the baby.
The baby's mother, Sibongile Mbambo, had gone shopping at City View (Game) Mall in Matthews Meyiwa (Stamfordhill) Road, along with her 8-year-old son.
KZN SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said the family was seated in their car when two armed men accosted them.
“They demanded the vehicle's keys, forced the mother and son out of the vehicle and sped off in her Toyota Yaris with the baby girl strapped in her car seat in the front. A case of car hijacking was opened at Durban Central police for investigation.
"The vehicle was later recovered at the corner of Moodie and Donovan roads in Montclair. There was no sign of the baby,” said Zwane.
Mbambo made an impassioned plea on radio on Friday evening, calling for the people who have
her baby, or know where the baby is, to contact the police.
“Please, please, please help me find my child,” she said.
The baby is light skinned and was wearing a white vest and nappy.
That area of Montclair, according to locals, is an infamous spot for abandoned vehicles, attempted suicides and amorous activities. Police in cars and helicopters circled the area but found nothing out of the ordinary.
“We had noticed an empty car parked at the corner, but it was nothing unusual,” said a Mrs Johnson, who did not want to give her first name.
“Often cars are left here. But when we saw all the police arrive and the sniffer dogs and the ambulances, we knew something major had happened. We are so worried about the little baby alone in this cold weather,” she said.
With news flying around on social media that the baby was still missing, residents arrived and offered to help with the search.
Former Montclair residents Anil and Ashnee Lalli, who now live in Merebank, rushed to the scene after work.
Anil Lalli and his wife Ashnee rushed to Donovan Road in Montclair after work to help with the search for the baby. Picture: Gcina Ndwalane
“My husband heard the news on the radio and was very upset. Because we know the area, we decided to come here and help to look for the baby.
"We have two children of our own so we can just imagine how the baby’s mom must feel,” said Ashnee.