LYDENBURG, South Africa (BN24) – A South African hospital cleaner has been arrested after allegedly carrying human placentas in a plastic bag while attempting to hitchhike in the Mpumalanga province, police said Thursday.
The woman, identified as 39-year-old Rose Mnisi, was apprehended by local authorities near the town of Lydenburg, also known as Mashishing, after a tip-off led security officers to investigate her suspicious behavior. Upon stopping her for questioning, police discovered the bag containing an undisclosed number of human placentas.
Mnisi, who works in the maternity ward of a local hospital, reportedly told police that she was seeking potential buyers for the biological material. Authorities confirmed that she did not have the legal authorization to possess or transport human tissue.
“Upon being approached by police, the woman was caught with human tissues,” a police statement said. “She confirmed that she is a cleaner in the maternity ward.”
She was formally charged with illegal possession of human tissue and appeared in court on Thursday. The seized placentas have been sent for forensic examination. Mnisi has not yet entered a plea and is expected to return to court next month for a bail hearing.
Police are continuing the investigation and say additional charges may be filed as more evidence is uncovered. They did not comment on what the placentas were allegedly intended for, though the case has sparked renewed public concern over the illicit trade of human body parts in South Africa.
While some believe human placentas can be used for perceived health benefits including boosting breast milk production or preventing postnatal depression, there is no scientific consensus supporting these claims. The unauthorized handling and sale of human tissue is illegal under South African law.
In certain parts of the country, illegal trade in human body parts has been linked to ritualistic practices. Just weeks earlier, a traditional healer from neighboring Mozambique appeared in a South African court after being found with human remains believed to be connected to the 2023 murder of a young woman. That case is still under investigation.
South African police have pledged to tighten surveillance around hospitals and mortuaries to curb the black market trade in human tissues, as authorities warn of growing criminal networks exploiting both cultural beliefs and weak regulatory enforcement.
