Woman arrested for kidnapping eight-year-old boy in Canelands
Sandile Mthembu, 8, was last seen fishing with a neighbour in Canelands; anyone with information is urged to contact Reaction Unit South Africa.
Image: RUSA
A 45-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with kidnapping after allegedly abducting an eight-year-old boy in Canelands, KwaZulu-Natal.
The boy who had gone fishing with a neighbour, was found hours later in a sugarcane field by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) officers.
According to police, the boy left home on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, with a 32-year-old neighbour to fish at a local dam. On their way, they briefly encountered an unknown woman. During the outing, the neighbour became distracted and later noticed the same woman walking away with the boy. He attempted to follow them but lost sight of both.
The incident was reported to RUSA, and the neighbour was found in possession of the child’s sandals. He was unable to provide contact details for the boy’s mother. Officers transported him to Cottonlands, where it was confirmed the child had not returned home.
A search was launched in the area where the child was last seen. Officers spotted a woman matching the description provided by the neighbour at the entrance of a sugarcane plantation along Vincent Dickinson Road.
When questioned, she led responders approximately 200 metres into the cane field, where the boy was found unharmed.
The woman allegedly told officers she had taken the child to her home in Lotusville, where she fed him, forced him to bathe, and changed his clothes. She then returned with him to the cane field and instructed him to wait there until she came back.
Verulam SAPS confirmed the arrest and court appearance of the suspect.
“Verulam police have arrested a 45-year-old woman in connection with the kidnapping of an eight-year-old boy. She appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, January 21 and the case was adjourned to January 29,” said Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza.
He confirmed that the boy had gone fishing with his neighbour.
"The boy was allegedly approached by a woman who offered him a drink. While the neighbour was occupied with fishing, the woman reportedly took the child and left the area. She was later located in the Canelands informal settlement where the child was found,” said Magwaza.
The child has since been reunited with his mother. The suspect remains in custody pending further investigation.