What happened to the maternal love?

On May 11th, South Africa took a moment to celebrate and remember mothers, acknowledging the comfort, care, and boundless love that mothers embody.

Those fortunate enough to have experienced this special maternal love should indeed treasure those memories.

However, the recent news surrounding two deeply disturbing cases stands in stark contrast to this sentiment. A six-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy became victims in profoundly troubling ways.

Keneilwe Shalaba, the mother of the two-year-old, Kutlwano, appeared in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court this week, accused of selling her son for R75 000.

Tragically, Kutlwano, who had been missing since November of last year despite extensive searches, was found dead last week. A traditional healer is also expected to be implicated in this heartbreaking case.

Adding to this sorrow is the case of six-year-old Joshlin Smith, who disappeared from her Saldanha Bay home on February 19, 2024. The court revealed that Joshlin was reportedly sold for R20 000. Her mother, Racquel ‘‘Kelly’’ Smith, along with her boyfriend and a family acquaintance, were found guilty in the Western Cape High Court and received life sentences.

While justice may have been served in this instance, Joshlin herself remains missing.

These cases, along with the countless others where children have suffered such fates at the hands of their mothers, are deeply distressing. While some commentators attribute these acts to poverty, it's important to remember the countless mothers who make immense sacrifices to provide for their children, working tirelessly in difficult conditions to ensure their well-being.

We heard stories of mothers who sell toasted corn by the street corner to support their kids; and mothers walk the streets in the blazing sun, selling tripe, just to make sure that their children don't go to bed on an empty stomach.

Ultimately, it seems that greed, with money as the driving force, lies at the heart of these unthinkable crimes.