- Baby Nandi’s future is uncertain as child protection organisations debate the best options for her care and well-being.
- Staff at Child Welfare SA Edenvale say they stepped in to help and remain very concerned for Nandi’s safety and happiness.
- The ongoing conflict has left people close to Nandi worried that paperwork and procedures could overshadow her basic need: to feel safe and loved.
The case of baby Nandi, the abandoned infant who has drawn public attention, has taken a new turn as questions arise about how her placement and care are being handled.
While many people empathise with the baby’s situation and debate the child protection system, the organisations involved are now in a disagreement over who acted appropriately.
Baby Nandi is the name given to an abandoned infant whose case has raised public concern and scrutiny in Gauteng. Earlier in August 2025, she was reportedly found abandoned, leading child protection organisations to become involved. This situation sparked strong emotional reactions on social media and in community networks, as her story highlighted the vulnerability of many infants left without care or protection.
Tree of Hope, a local organization in Edenvale, was one of the first to take custody of the baby. However, instead of following the usual steps of involving Child Welfare SA Edenvale or handing the child over to the police or the Department of Social Development, they transferred her to Lambano Sanctuary in Primrose, where a social worker was assigned. This decision raised questions and disagreements about the proper protocol and legal compliance.
Child Welfare SA Edenvale claims they were prepared to take responsibility for baby Nandi, having already processed the necessary paperwork, but were bypassed at the last moment. Their attorneys assert that claims of refusal to help are false, emphasising that they acted according to their mandate.
Child Welfare responds to allegations
Child Welfare SA Edenvale, represented by Di Gibson Attorneys, issued a formal statement on 25 September rejecting claims that it refused to assist baby Nandi. The organisation states it was contacted by Tree of Hope, Edenvale, on 26 August and had completed the paperwork to collect the infant. Before this could happen, Tree of Hope informed Child Welfare via voice note that they had taken the baby to Lambano Sanctuary in Primrose, where a social worker had been assigned.
Child Welfare expressed confusion over why the standard protocol was not followed. According to their statement, the correct procedure would have been to wait for Child Welfare to take over care or to take the baby to the local police station or the Department of Social Development.
Courts and the best interest of the child
The statement also dismissed suggestions that a Germiston Children’s Court Magistrate denied baby Nandi medical care. “The Magistrate issued the order and acted in the best interest of the child,” the attorneys noted. The organisation welcomes an investigation by the Department of Social Development into the matter, stating it has nothing to hide.
“The Magistrate issued the order and acted in the best interest of the child,” Di Gibson Attorneys, for Child Welfare SA Edenvale.
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