A community has been left shaken after they caught and moered a man who tried to kidnap a child on Sunday.
The man managed to slip away from the clutches of angry Philippi residents and was then whisked away to the local clinic.
The five-year-old victim was playing with his friends in front of his home in Siyanyanzela when an unknown man grabbed him.
His grandma says he was heard screaming as the suspect ran way with him.
“He was near his mom’s shack with other children,” gogo says.
“No one knows where the man came from, but he was seen grabbing the child and then he ran.
“His mom says she heard him scream and chased after the suspect who was carrying the child.
“She couldn’t catch up so she shouted at two men who were closer to the suspect, she told them that her son was the one he carried.”
The ouma says when the suspect saw the men, he threw the child on the side of the road.
“I don’t know where exactly he landed but I know it was safer than where he would be now if the residents didn’t help.
“The two men didn’t stop chasing after the suspect.
“They caught him and alerted other community members about the attempted kidnapping.
“He was beaten up badly and was taken to KTC Day Hospital by some car.”
The grandma says she is grateful that the five-year-old is home.
“He is safe, still traumatised but at least he is with his parents.
“I didn’t sleep on Sunday night as I kept imagining the kidnapper butchering my grandson into pieces.
“I am really happy that the people caught him because he could have been raped and killed.”
When the Daily Voice visited the family on Monday, the team was told that the community was on high alert.
“They were ready to attack you now because everyone’s blood is still boiling from Sunday’s incident,” a resident explained.
“They are more upset after the suspect’s relative came to threaten the boy’s mom, just a few hours later.”
The boy’s mom went to Nyanga SAPS but was told to go to the Philippi Police to report the incident.
“I am still trying to open a case, I will not leave things as they are,” she says.