Mother allegedly feeds son crushed glass, killing him

A 28-year-old mother has been arrested for allegedly killing and burying her son in a shallow grave after feeding him crushed glass.

The decomposing body of Katlego Mokwana, 11, was found buried inside a half-built three-roomed house in Hlalanikahle, Sekhukhune, in Limpopo, on Tuesday.

Neighbour Ernie Makua said: “We have been worried about the whereabouts of baby Katlego, to a point where we confronted the mother.

"[Last month] the mother told us that Katlego had visited his father in Pretoria, since it was school holidays. We then called the police last week, who took her in for questioning, but she returned the same day.”

Makua and another neighbour, Sinky Mokalapa, told Sowetan that the woman's five-year-old daughter was taken by her father shortly after Katlego's body was discovered. It is unclear whether the children share the same father.

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said: “Police investigations led them to a spot in the yard where the body of the child was found buried in a shallow grave. The motive for this incident is unknown. The suspect will appear in Hlogotlou magistrate's court soon.”

The woman's landlord, Reginald Leshapa, 52, said he was still in shock.

“I received a call that people had gathered in my yard. When I got there, I found people demanding answers from my tenant. After a few minutes, the mother led us to the house, but stopped at the door. I started walking around the house and I spotted a heap of soil, which I have never seen before,” he said.

Leshapa said he took his shovel and handed it to a police officer, who made the gruesome discovery.