Woman leaves blind granny (93) for dead in row over child

A Figtree woman ran amok and used a heavy walking stick to assault her boyfriend's 93 year old grandmother accusing her of not supporting her baby. Thandolwenkosi Sibanda (25) barged into the old woman's hut in a midnight raid on 1 March.

She allegedly dumped her undressed baby on the floor and used the old woman's walking stick to beat her up, when she protested.

Plumtree magistrate, Livard Philemon, sentenced Sibanda to nine months in prison, of which six months were suspended for five years on condition that she does not commit an offence of the same nature, when she appeared in court today.

The remaining three months were suspended on condition that she performs 105 hours of community service at Solusi Primary.

Sibanda said she was desperate to send a message to her in-laws and her husband, who she said were helping her to bring up the baby. The magistrate said Sibanda had her baby to thank, for not getting a custodial sentence.

He said the baby would be left without a mother but stressed that Sibanda had committed a heinous act by attacking a defenceless old woman.

Prosecuting, Jane Phiri said Sibanda hurled obscenities at the old woman and said she could not continue struggling to look after a baby whose blood relatives where alive and not giving a hoot, what the baby was eating.

She said a frenzied Sibanda only stopped assaulting the old woman after her daughter was present, grabbed the walking stick from her. Maphosa sustained multiple bruises on her legs and a swollen left hip as a result of the attack and she was referred to hospital.