Keneilwe Shalaba was unmasked for the first time inside the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate Court on Friday, where she appeared in connection with the disappearance of her two-year-old son, Kutloano.
Keneilwe Shalaba court appearance: Here are the latest updates
The 32-year-old held a chilling smirk as she stood on the dock for what’s expected to be a lengthy legal process to determine her involvement in the trafficking of Little Kutloano.
Proceedings were brief.
Keneilwe informed the court of her decision to abandon bail, a choice informed by the retaliation she may face in her community.
She will spend the entire festive season behind bars, as prosecutors work with detectives to piece together how she allegedly sold her child to unknown suspects.
Her next court appearance has been earmarked for 27 January 2025.
What do police know about Keneilwe’s involvement in her son’s disappearance?
From what we understand, the 32-year-old has, thus far, been hostile towards authorities, who have escalated the search for Kutloano.
According to reports, three days before Kutloano’s disappearance, on Sunday, 10 November 2024, Keneilwe informed her landlord of her plans to travel to Durban.
The woman was renowned in Boipatong as a loan shark and informal retailer, selling clothes she bought in bulk from suppliers in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
This, police claim, was the last time anyone saw Kutloano alive.
Three days later, on Wednesday, 13 November 2024, before her trip, Keneilwe filed a missing person report, claiming Kutloano was reportedly snatched by three unknown men driving a silver-grey VW Polo on Batloung Street at around 16:30.
Her initial claim was that she was walking with her son when the vehicle approached them. The suspects allegedly grabbed Kutloano from her back and sped off before she could react.
Suspicion quickly grew when it was discovered that instead of aiding in the search for her son, Keneilwe had travelled to her hometown in Qwa-Qwa, Free State, to consult a sangoma about Kutloano’s whereabouts.
When she returned last week, investigators pressured Keneilwe into a confession. However, not before leading them on a wild and exhaustive goose chase.
According to police, the 32-year-old has changed her story several times, pointing to different people she supposedly handed Kutloano to.
“[She] has been giving names of different people she alleges took the child. When officers arrive at the person’s place they become shocked. She went as far as accusing the child’s grandmother [of taking her child],” an officer told Sowetan.
The whereabouts of Kutloano are still unknown.
The two-year-old was last seen wearing brown pants, a white top, and black takkies.
