Sidumisile Mabena
Blessing Ticha Karubwa
A DISTURBING video circulating on social media, showing a domestic worker brutally assaulting an infant, has sparked national outrage.
The one-minute-eight-second clip, which has been shared repeatedly on WhatsApp and Facebook, shows a suspected maid entering a house, seemingly after washing dishes. As she approaches the doorway, a baby believed to be only a few months old is seen crawling toward her before sitting briefly on the floor.
The woman suddenly drops a bowl she is holding and punches the child.
Moments later, the woman goes inside the house and returns carrying a stick, about one and a half metres long. She strikes the baby forcefully on the back as the child’s piercing cries echo through the footage.
The assault continues as the woman drags the baby into the house, forces the child to lie down and beats the baby more than ten times on the thighs and stomach. She slaps the baby repeatedly and, at one point, steps on the child’s stomach.
Toward the end of the video, the woman wipes a substance from the floor with a cloth, which viewers speculate could be blood or faeces released due to the severe beating. The baby cries continuously throughout the ordeal, leaving viewers traumatised and furious.
Social media users have called for the video to be shared widely until it reaches the child’s biological mother and law enforcement authorities. Many have demanded urgent investigations and harsh punishment.
“The law should catch up with this maid; this baby will die or end up disabled. This is ruthless,” commented one Facebook user.
The incident has reignited discussions around child protection and human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and that no one should be subjected to cruel or degrading treatment. Children are especially entitled to care, protection and freedom from violence.
By the time of publication, authorities had not issued an official statement on the video. Members of the public are urging law enforcement agencies to act swiftly, verify the footage, identify those involved and ensure justice is served.
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Online Reporter