Maxwell Mapira, 26, from Zimbabwe Picture: Solly Lottering Maxwell Mapira, 26, from Zimbabwe Picture: Solly Lottering
Cape Town - Police are hunting a man who allegedly killed his wife’s week-old baby boy by bashing it against the ground in a fit of rage.
It’s believed the man had learnt that the baby was not his and, taking out his anger on the helpless infant, he grabbed it by the legs and flung him to the ground.
He then allegedly threatened to kill the young mother if she called the police.
Residents say the Zimbabwean national then fled from their shack in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein, and has not been seen since.
It’s believed Maxwell Mapira, 26, is hiding out in the Strand or Lwandle area.
The 19-year-old mother, Rejoice, who is also from Zimbabwe, was not at home when Daily Voice visited the scene on day.
Resident Piet Nunu, 20, says residents saw and heard everything.
“The community is in uproar after he killed the baby, who was just a week old,” he says.
“The baby was sleeping when he picked him up by the legs. Hy het die baba seuntjie geswaai soos ‘n skoppelmaai (swing), al in die rondte, en toe neer gegooi teen die grond. (He was swinging the baby around and then threw the infant to the ground.)
“He did it because she had told him it wasn’t his child, but his brother’s.
“He held a knife to the mother’s neck and told her: ‘Just call the cops and you will see’.
“He lay the dead baby on the bed and left.”
Nunu says the young couple recently got married according to a Zimbabwean tribal tradition.
The teenage mom gave birth on 27 September.
“Two weeks ago they were arguing and he said that they were only married six months, how could the child be born so soon?
“He moved out but came back a week later, on Tuesday (3 October). That was when she confessed that she had sex with his brother and that the baby was not his, and he killed the baby,” says Nunu.
“We are shocked and outraged at this horrific murder, hy het ‘n bondeltjie liefde doodgeslaan (He killed a bundle of love).”
“He packed up and left and his relatives said he was last in Lwandle.”
Kraaifontein police confirmed to the Daily Voice that they were looking for Mapira.
Anyone with information of his whereabouts is asked to call investigating officer Sergeant Marks on 081 570 5722.