High-ranking diplomat gets custody of the child she helped raise

A Polokwane woman walked out of court in tears on Tuesday when a judge ordered her to return her son to the woman who helped to raise him.

The urgent application was brought by a well-known South African diplomat‚ who is due to return to her overseas embassy post soon.

Judge Pierre Rabie had to temporarily postpone reading his judgment when the biological mom of the eight-year-old burst into tears and walked out of the courtroom‚ followed by her lawyer.

He adjourned the case for five minutes‚ after which the mom returned.

According to testimony presented in court‚ the diplomat procured a high court order in 2015 which granted her a co-guardianship of the child.

On Tuesday she brought an urgent court application at the Palace of Justice in Pretoria‚ seeking the return of the minor to her care.

The child was believed to have been born from a relationship the diplomat’s partner had while he was married to her.

Since May this year‚ the child had been living with his biological mom‚ an artist‚ in Polokwane.

The judge ordered the child’s immediate return‚ failing which the biological mom would be held in contempt of court.