Keypoints:
- Mpumalanga cleaner found with human placentas
- Police probe ritual or trade motive
- Bail hearing set for next month
A 39-YEAR-OLD hospital cleaner has been arrested in South Africa’s eastern Mpumalanga province after police allegedly found a plastic bag filled with human placentas in her possession. Authorities say the woman, named as Rose Mnisi, was stopped during a routine patrol in the town of Lydenburg, also known as Mashishing, while hitchhiking to Nelspruit.
Tip-off leads to arrest
According to a police statement, security officers acted on a tip-off before alerting patrol units. Officers approached Mnisi and allegedly discovered the bag containing several placentas. Police said she confirmed that she worked as a cleaner in a local maternity ward.
‘Upon being approached by police, the woman was caught with human tissues,’ the statement read. ‘The woman confirmed that she is a cleaner in the maternity ward.’
The seized body parts have been sent for forensic analysis. Investigators are still determining the number of placentas involved and their origin.
Court appearance and ongoing investigation
Mnisi appeared in court on Thursday charged with illegal possession of human tissues and is due back next month for a bail application. Police have not disclosed a possible motive but say further charges cannot be ruled out as inquiries continue.
Authorities did not specify what the placentas were allegedly intended for. In South Africa, some people believe consuming placenta tissue can boost breast milk production or reduce post-natal depression, although medical experts say there is no scientific basis for these claims.
Broader concerns over ritual killings
The case has reignited concerns about the use of human body parts in traditional rituals. South Africa has seen sporadic incidents involving killings and mutilations linked to so-called ‘muti’ practices. Earlier this month, a Mozambican traditional healer appeared in a Tshwane court after being found with human body parts allegedly connected to the 2023 murder of a young woman.
Police in Mpumalanga have urged residents to report suspicious activity and reiterated that the illegal trade or possession of human tissue is a serious offence under South African law.
