A woman from Mhlasini in KwaZulu-Natal allegedly left her infant son to his own devices so that she could go on a drinking binge.

Security Service company Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) said that two men arrived at its headquarters on Monday pleading for help and reported that the child had been left alone after the woman left the child to drink.

"The men informed RUSA that they were consuming alcohol with a group of friends on Sunday. The woman arrived with the child and a mutual friend. They all consumed alcohol together before the woman left with one of the men," RUSA said.

However, one of the men from the group came back to his room and found that the child had been left alone. "A blue packet containing diapers was located next to the baby. He assumed that the mother would return to take the child."

The man reportedly bought food and cared for the infant throughout the night. On Monday morning, he and a friend began searching for the mother, but without success. Subsequently, they sought assistance from RUSA.

RUSA called the Verulam Child and Family Welfare Society. Two social workers arrived at the RUSA headquarters shortly after and took the infant from both men. They notified officers that they wanted to file a criminal prosecution for child abandonment.

According to the Social Development Department, KZN faces an ongoing issue of baby abandonment with cases occurring almost every week.

"Every child that is in need of care and protection is dealt with in accordance with the Children’s Act No 38 of 2005," said the department.

The department pointed out that when a baby is abandoned, social workers file a case with SAPS to locate the parents and any relatives who may be able to care for the child.

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KwaZulu-Natal mother abandons infant son for night of binge drinking