Shocking Twist in Soweto Baby Theft Case: Accused Killer to Undergo Psychiatric Evaluation

A Gauteng woman allegedly sold her newborn baby to “unknown people”. Subsequently, she killed a woman and stole her baby boy. Nelisiwe Thwala, 29, is set to undergo psychiatric evaluation after being ordered by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Monday to report to Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital on 24 April. Thwala made a brief court appearance, and her mother supported her.

As reported by News24, the alleged story is that Thwala fell pregnant and, after giving birth, sold her baby. Once her family discovered what had happened, they expelled her and said she could only return with the child she sold. Thwala and her boyfriend, Xolani Mkhize, also accused of the crime, lived in an outside room in Zola North, Soweto. Thobane Khanyile, Mkhize’s uncle, resided in the same area with his wife, Nonhlakanipho Lukhozi, and their three-month-old baby.

On 10 June 2019, Thwala and Mkhize allegedly killed Lukhozi at her home. The two face accusations of taking the baby and disposing of Lukhozi’s body in a wheelie bin in a nearby field. The charges read that “the cause of death of the deceased was determined to be multiple blunt stab wounds to the neck and chest, ligature strangulation, and blunt force injuries.” They then took Lukhozi’s child to Thwala’s parental home in Tshepisong, where Thwala introduced the child as her child, who she had sold to unknown people.

Thwala faces charges of murder, kidnapping, defeating the ends of justice, and human trafficking. Mkhize was convicted and given two life sentences. However, the court postponed Thwala’s trial to 20 April.

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