Daily Sun (February 3 2014) - SHARON'S nightmare began when she was arrested during a service delivery protest she had nothing to do with.
Now she's locked up in a police cell.
AND COPS ALLOW HER TO BREASTFEED HER NEWBORN BABY ONLY ONCE A DAY.
"I did nothing wrong. I was caught with protesters and I don't even live in Kubjana or Relela," said Sharon Sebetola (20), from Mamelodi in Gauteng. She was speaking to Daily Sun from the police cells in Tzaneen, Limpopo.
"I want to be released to be with my baby."
Sharon took her sick, seven-month-old baby to her gogo Mamoletelwa Sebetola (65) in Sethong Village, near Relela, hoping that her gogo's muthi would make the child better.
Last week, while Sharon was still in Sethong, her aunt Olga Sebetola's 15-year-old son Pitso fell ill. He was vomiting badly and on Thursday, Sharon took the boy to Motupa Cinic, near Kubjana - and that is when she got caught up in the protests.
When she got out of the taxi she saw people running from the cops. She tried to run away herself, but she fell and was arrested by the cops. They took her to the cells at Tzaneen Police Station.
Pitso was left lying on the ground and was eventually helped by strangers who took him home.
When Sharon didn't come home to feed her baby, her aunt Olga had to take time off work to help the gogo with the child.
Sharon's uncle, Moses, told Daily Sun he spoke to the cops but they wouldn't release Sharon.
"They told us to bring the baby to the cells. We are allowed to go there once a day so Sharon can feed her child," said Moses.
"But everybody knows a young baby needs to feed many times a day!"
Moses said they have to pay R13 for the taxi every day to take the baby to the cells and they struggle to find the money.
When Daily Sun went to the cells, only one person was allowed to take the baby to Sharon and no bags were allowed inside.
Sharon's gogo said the family knew Sharon was taking Pitso to the clinic and produced a doctor's appointment for his stomach problem.
Pitso was later taken to the doctor by his mother and referred to hospital.
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Limpopo SAPS, said they sympathise with the situation.
"We will talk to the NPA and arrange that she is released so she can be with her baby," said Mulaudzi.
See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....
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