Police have released a statement saying the one-month-old baby Siwaphiwe, who was taken in a car-jacking at a local shopping centre on Friday, has been found.
SAPS spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane confirmed to TMG Digital at 4.30am that the baby – who was abducted on Friday – was found shortly after midnight on Saturday.
A suspicious vehicle was searched at the Mariannhill Toll Plaza on the N3, and Siwaphiwe was found inside.
“Baby found alive shortly after midnight. Three suspects arrested,” Zwane said via text message.
“The baby was found after the police intercepted a vehicle on the N3. The baby was found inside the vehicle. Three suspects have been arrested and will be facing charges of kidnapping and other charges.”
A police spokesman close to the investigation confirmed to TimesLIVE on Sunday that the mother was taken into custody for questioning.
Asked via text message if the mom was arrested, the source simply said: “Yes.” Several other sources confirmed she was arrested in the early hours of the morning.
Baby Siwaphiwe was in the backseat of the white Yaris stolen from her mother at gunpoint by two men at the City View (formerly Game City) centre in Greyville on Friday morning.
Her mother managed to grab her eight-year-old son, but the car sped off with Siwaphiwe still inside. The vehicle was abandoned in Montclair, south of Durban and since then, police and volunteers have been fanning out in the hopes of finding her.
Two independent sources confirmed that several items not usually removed in a typical car theft had been taken – the baby’s car seat‚ the pram and the infant’s bag.
“At this point it may be a domestic issue and the police are investigating this‚” he added.
On Saturday afternoon, the father Felokwakhe Mbambo said that he was ‘very worried’. Baby Siwaphiwe’s mother Sibongile could only manage to say softly, “It is very bad,” before trailing off.
Police announced yesterday that a reward of up to R250 000 for any information that will lead to her safe return.
News broke that Baby Siwaphiwe has been found early this morning which set South African Social Media alight with users adding their voices to the conversation:
#BabySiwaphiwe has been found is without a doubt the BEST. News. Ever 🤗 It's been a nerve-wracking weekend for us all! #HelpFindDurbanBaby
— Natarah Nadesan (@NatarahNadesan) March 12, 2017
Stolen Durban #babySiwaphiwe found ALIVE after police stopped a vehicle near Marianhill toll plaza this morning.
— JM (@JoyMulalo) March 12, 2017
~ #SouthAfricasDaughter has been found well & alive #BabySiwaphiwe #HelpFindDurbanBaby 💚❤️💜💛
— S (@sramphaul) March 12, 2017
#Blessed Sunday morning, wake up to answered #prayers. #ThankYouGod the @SAPoliceService @ecr #helpfindDurbanbaby #babySiwaphiwe was found.
— Divs (@Diveena) March 12, 2017
Police confirmed shortly after 4am, one month old #BabySiwaphiwe has found alive in Marianhill toll plaza. #HelpFindDurbanBaby
— Earl-Ryan September🇿🇦 (@earlseptember) March 12, 2017