Three women arrested for allegedly drowning a baby in a bucket confessed to a magistrate in a case heard in chambers in Mamelodi, Pretoria, on Wednesday, police said.
Inspector Paul Ramaloko said the women made ”an admission of guilt” to the magistrate.
Their case was postponed to July 18. Their case will be heard then in open court.
The 34-year-old woman and her aunt were arrested on Monday for allegedly drowning a newborn baby girl in a bucket and burying the body in their yard in Mamelodi West.
The younger woman gave birth on Friday and her aunt allegedly helped her drown the infant.
Police received an anonymous call on Monday and went to the house in Mamelodi West where they found the baby’s remains.
The younger woman allegedly confessed to police that last year she had drowned another baby and buried it in the yard. On Tuesday police exhumed the remains of a second baby. The remains have been taken to a laboratory.
A neighbour who is in her late 50s was arrested on Tuesday after it was found that she may have been an accomplice. She was also allegedly the midwife who delivered both babies.
One of the about 20 onlookers outside court, Ruth Phaahla, said she, as a parent, was embarrassed as the woman was giving mothers a bad name.
”She should be given a life sentence because it’s not the first time she has done this. It hurts me as a parent.
”Imagine carrying a child for nine months and end up killing it, not once but twice,” she said.
The women are facing charges of murder and concealment of a birth or death. — Sapa