Cape Town – There was mayhem on Voortrekker Road when people toppled a car, apparently to rescue a child from being kidnapped.
The alleged kidnappers then fled to a nearby police station to escape the mob.
A 32-year-old man, who asked to remain anonymous, said the action unfolded on Wednesday at about 6.30pm.
It is alleged that two Nigerian nationals had snatched a Somali child.
The man says: “I was on my way home from work when I saw a large group of foreigners destroying a car.
“They had broken the vehicle’s windows and then lifted it up and toppled it to its side.”
He says when the alleged kidnappers were spotted on Arnold Wilhelm Drive, all hell broke loose.
“I think it was two people (from the Somali group) who took out guns and started shooting (at the kidnappers), luckily no one was injured.”
The incident took place a stone’s throw away from Parow police station. Videos and photos of the incident went viral on WhatsApp.
In a two-minute long video, a damaged silver Nissan Micra can be seen and a man saying: “Yoh, I think this guy almost kidnapped someone, but that child was like a Somali.
“See how many Somalis are here? So the guy ran, I stopped him there, I blocked him but he ran into the police station.”
The unidentified man tells someone that the “kidnapper” made a good choice running away.
“They were going to kill him, straight.”
An angry mob can be seen pelting the empty car and trying to set it alight while the police try to stop them.
Police had to disperse the group with stun grenades and rubber bullets.
However, police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana says they have no knowledge of an alleged kidnapping.
“Parow SAPS opened a case of public violence following an incident that occurred on Wednesday about 6.30pm at Arnold Wilhelm Street in Parow.
“According to information, a group of about 50 foreign nationals were involved, the group became violent and overturned a vehicle. Police took action to disperse the crowd.”
She says four men aged between 33 and 55 years were arrested and are in custody.
“Once they are charged, they will appear in court. At this stage no case of kidnapping was opened with SAPS, also there was no child in the vehicle.”
Daily Voice