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Plaxcedes Hove Court Reporter
POLICE had to break down a door at a house in Nkulumane to rescue a crying one year five months old baby who was left  in a locked room for hours by her mother who was later arrested for neglecting the child.
Spiwe Ngwenya, 23, left her home last Friday at around 9AM leaving the minor asleep in a locked room, only to return after 4PM.
Ngwenya appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube charged with ill-treating or neglecting a child.She pleaded guilty.

The woman claimed that she had gone to look for food for her baby after her husband deserted them and there was no-one she could have left her with.
Magistrate Dube remanded her in custody to September 4 for sentencing.

Prosecuting Sibekithemba Dube said Ngwenya left her minor child in a room that was locked in a manner likely to cause the child unnecessary suffering.
“Ngwenya locked and left her child in a room for the whole day claiming that she had gone out to look for food and soap to feed and wash her baby,” she said.

Neighbours heard the child crying for a long time and reported to the police, who visited the house and broke down the door to gain entry.
Ngwenya, who came back after seven hours, was arrested police and the baby taken to her maternal aunt.

“The baby’s father deserted us and I had no-one to leave the child with. I had gone out to look for soap to wash my baby’s clothes and food to feed the baby. I don’t have money to take care of the baby. Please forgive me, Your Worship,” she said.