The distressing disappearance of two-year-old Kutloano Shalaba, a case that has gripped South Africa since November 2024, has reached a heartbreaking conclusion with the recovery of his body. This grim development was confirmed on Friday, May 30, 2025, by eNCA senior reporter Silindelo Masikane. Authorities have also announced the arrest of a sangoma, a traditional healer, in connection with the ongoing investigation.
Kutloano's mother, Keneilwe Shalaba, remains in custody, facing grave accusations of selling her son for a sum of R75,000. She first appeared before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court in Gauteng on Monday, November 25, 2024, facing charges that include human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery, and making a false statement to the police. These charges stem from allegations that she sold her two-year-old son to unidentified individuals on November 10, 2024.
According to a statement from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Keneilwe Shalaba allegedly filed a false police report on November 13, 2024, claiming that her son had been kidnapped by unknown men in a vehicle. However, the subsequent police investigation quickly exposed the fabrication of her kidnapping story, leading to her confession. She was subsequently arrested on November 19, 2024, and has been in custody ever since. Notably, during her incarceration, Shalaba gave birth to another child, having appeared in court while pregnant on February 25, 2025. The recovery of Kutloano's body adds a tragic and solemn dimension to an already harrowing case.
