A newborn baby boy was found abandoned in a bushy area in Matswale suburb in Musina, after its mother allegedly dumped him, police have said.

The Musina SAPS spokeswoman, Const Deborah Bob, told Mirror that the one-week-old infant was discovered on Thursday, December 13, at around 15:00 by a local elderly woman, who then alerted the local police. "We suspect the baby was dumped by his mother soon after she gave birth at Musina Hospital," she said.

The baby was taken to the local hospital and his condition is reported to be stable. Bob said they have since been looking for the mother.

According to the local hospital register, a total of 19 women gave birth on that day. Bob said they have since started visiting the mothers, in an effort to locate the abandoned baby’s mother. "We are also appealing to community members to assist us with information that could eventually lead to the arrest of the suspect," said Bob.