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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A frantic search throughout Tuesday night paid off on Wednesday afternoon when two women who allegedly stole two premature babies from their incubators at the Dora Nginza Hospital neonatal unit were arrested and the babies returned.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-05-21-urgent-search-under-way-as-two-newborns-abducted-from-dora-nginza-hospital/?dm_source=dm_block_grid&dm_medium=card_link&dm_campaign=main\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urgent search under way as two newborns abducted from Dora Nginza Hospital</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Police Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed that the babies were found and two women were arrested. They will appear in court this week.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Van Rensburg said a police officer who was part of the search spotted two women with babies close to Dora Nginza Hospital as he was leaving the facility. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He immediately approached and then questioned them,” she said. The officer’s intuition turned out to be spot-on and the infants were identified as the stolen babies.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The suspects, aged 25 and 26, will appear in the New Brighton Magistrates’ Court.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2729246\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_1447-copy.jpg\" alt=\"stolen babies\" width=\"1806\" height=\"1159\" /> <em>Security guards at the entrance to Dora Nginza Hospital on 21 May 2025. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acting Nelson Mandela Bay District Commissioner Brigadier Loyiso Ngalo commended the dedicated SAPS team that had worked tirelessly since the kidnapping was reported. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We are grateful that they were found, and that they can be reunited with the mothers,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sizwe Kupelo, the spokesperson for Eastern Cape health MEC Ntandokazi Capa, said the babies were doing well.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The matter is now in the hands of the police and the department will not give further information,” he added.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2729248\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_8715-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1762\" height=\"1137\" /> <em>Armbands like these are used as a security measure. Security guards at exit points are meant to check if mom and baby are wearing identical bands. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Department communications director Siyanda Manana, however, said an investigation into the babies’ disappearance would take place.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2012, after a student nurse stole a baby from the same ward at Dora Nginza Hospital, a new security measure was brought in that required moms and newborns to be given identical armbands. The instruction to security guards at hospital exits are that a woman should not be allowed to leave the premises if their armbands do not match.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Maverick is awaiting answers from Silver Security Solutions, the current security firm at the hospital. It is also not clear why a big bag that can be seen on CCTV footage when the suspects entered the hospital wasn’t searched when they left the hospital, allegedly with the babies. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While waiting for news, family members and friends of the two mothers protested in front of the hospital. The family spoke of their pain upon hearing the news that the babies had disappeared. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A frantic search throughout Tuesday night paid off on Wednesday afternoon when two women who allegedly stole two premature babies from their incubators at the Dora Nginza Hospital neonatal unit were arrested and the babies returned.</span>\r\n\r\n<b>Read more: </b><a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-05-21-urgent-search-under-way-as-two-newborns-abducted-from-dora-nginza-hospital/?dm_source=dm_block_grid&dm_medium=card_link&dm_campaign=main\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urgent search under way as two newborns abducted from Dora Nginza Hospital</span></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Police Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed that the babies were found and two women were arrested. They will appear in court this week.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Van Rensburg said a police officer who was part of the search spotted two women with babies close to Dora Nginza Hospital as he was leaving the facility. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“He immediately approached and then questioned them,” she said. The officer’s intuition turned out to be spot-on and the infants were identified as the stolen babies.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The suspects, aged 25 and 26, will appear in the New Brighton Magistrates’ Court.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2729246\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1806\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2729246\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_1447-copy.jpg\" alt=\"stolen babies\" width=\"1806\" height=\"1159\" /> <em>Security guards at the entrance to Dora Nginza Hospital on 21 May 2025. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acting Nelson Mandela Bay District Commissioner Brigadier Loyiso Ngalo commended the dedicated SAPS team that had worked tirelessly since the kidnapping was reported. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“We are grateful that they were found, and that they can be reunited with the mothers,” he said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sizwe Kupelo, the spokesperson for Eastern Cape health MEC Ntandokazi Capa, said the babies were doing well.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The matter is now in the hands of the police and the department will not give further information,” he added.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2729248\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1762\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2729248\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_8715-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1762\" height=\"1137\" /> <em>Armbands like these are used as a security measure. Security guards at exit points are meant to check if mom and baby are wearing identical bands. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Department communications director Siyanda Manana, however, said an investigation into the babies’ disappearance would take place.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2012, after a student nurse stole a baby from the same ward at Dora Nginza Hospital, a new security measure was brought in that required moms and newborns to be given identical armbands. The instruction to security guards at hospital exits are that a woman should not be allowed to leave the premises if their armbands do not match.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Maverick is awaiting answers from Silver Security Solutions, the current security firm at the hospital. It is also not clear why a big bag that can be seen on CCTV footage when the suspects entered the hospital wasn’t searched when they left the hospital, allegedly with the babies. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While waiting for news, family members and friends of the two mothers protested in front of the hospital. The family spoke of their pain upon hearing the news that the babies had disappeared. </span><b>DM</b>",
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Security guards at the entrance to Dora Nginza Hospital on 21 May 2025. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)
Armbands like these are used as a security measure. Security guards at exit points are meant to check if mom and baby are wearing identical bands. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)