Gambling addict mom dumps her baby – again
Source: Sowetan News, June
Pertunia Ratsatsi and Nkosana Lekotjolo, June 3,
2008
Child left with friend in Orange Farm
The errant Ekurhuleni woman who not so long ago hit
the headlines after dumping her then seven-month-old
baby with her helper and went gambling, has done it
again.
This time Nomvuyo Williams, 35, a self-confessed
gambling addict, has abandoned the baby with her
friend Zoleka Nyengane.
Williams was last seen in April. Her disappearance
happened barely three months after Sowetan exposed
her for neglecting her baby, whom she left with a
helper, Vuyokazi Ngqoleka, 37, at her Kempton Park
home.
Now, the latest victim of Williams’ antics is her
friend of five years, Nyengane, of Driezick in
Orange Farm in the Vaal.
Williams, who was kicked out of the Kempton Park
flat, sought refuge at Nyengane’s home where she
left the baby and disappeared.
“We
have been good friends for a long time and I cannot
believe she is doing this to me. She did not even
leave a cent for the baby,” said Nyengane.
She
said Williams left on April 24 and she had not heard
from her since.
“I
was not in the house when she left the baby with my
daughter. She said she would be back later and that
was the last time we saw or heard from her,” said
Nyengane.
She
said some of their friends claimed to have seen
Williams in Durban.
“I
tried to locate her but to no avail. I even called
her family and her sister deposited R200 into my
account. They said they won’t send me more money
because the baby has a mother and she must look
after her,” she said.
Nyengane said she later located Williams
telephonically and threatened to call Sowetan if she
did not return .
“She then sent me R400 and said she would be back
soon. I believed her,” said Nyengane.
“I
love this baby and I love Nomvuyo too, but I cannot
look after her and my three children because I am
unemployed and my husband is very sick.
“The baby is still young and needs napkins, milk and
other baby food, and I cannot afford all that. She
was very sick a few weeks ago when she was teething
and needed her mother,” Nyengane said.
Williams made headlines in March when she left her
baby with Ngqoleka of Tembisa for more than two
weeks.
She
returned home after Sowetan broke the story and she
confessed that she had been gambling at Gold Reef
City casino.
Williams told Sowetan then that she had no intention
of returning until she had made enough money to buy
food, pay rent and Ngqoleka’s salary.
Her
mission was, however, disrupted when she saw her
picture in Sowetan.
Her
child was taken by Tembisa social welfare officers,
but returned to her two days later.
A
tearful Williams promised to behave herself and look
for a job and stop going to the casino for the
baby’s sake.
Nyengane said she would never take legal action
against Williams because she is her friend.
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