Toddler Kutlwano, who went missing last year, has been found dead

The body of two-year-old Kutlwano Shalaba, who went missing in November last year, has been recovered.

A police source confirmed to Sowetan that his body was found in a shallow grave at an abandoned mine near Randfontein, west of Johannesburg..

The source said a 50-year-old sangoma who operates at the Vereeniging taxi rank has been arrested.

"The traditional healer took officers to the body. A postmortem will be conducted at the Carletonville mortuary, but we believe the child died on November 10," said the source.

Kutlwano from Boipatong in the Vaal was reported missing on November 13.

His mother Keneiwe Shalaba reported he was snatched from her by unknown men in a silver-grey vehicle.

However, she was later arrested and charged with human trafficking, conspiracy to commit an offence and making a false statement to police.

The state alleged Shalaba sold Kutlwano for R75,000, an amount she admitted she received on the same day her son went missing but could not say where it came from.

Shalaba had previously alleged she went to Durban with Kutlwano on November 10 to buy clothes to sell.

However, Sgt George Motloung, who testified during her bail application in February, said the child never made it to Durban, adding he obtained statements and affidavits from a group of women Shalaba travelled with to KwaZulu-Natal.

He was told Shalaba had asked those she travelled with to lie, if questioned by police, and say she was with Kutlwano in Durban.

SowetanLIVE