A five-year-old girl went missing on Sunday while playing with other kids.
Residents of Moriting Section in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, SA, came out in numbers to search for the little girl.
The mother told Daily Sun: "We looked for her at local dams, parks and even dump sites.
"While we were at the park, an old man came in wheeling a rubbish bin and my daughter suddenly popped out of it.
"Her elder sister was with us and she just ran to her crying. She was very traumatised."
The mum said it seemed like the man was there to throw away rubbish.
According to the mum, when the man realised he had been seen, he dumped the rubbish bin, stopped a taxi and sped off.
"Luckily, a motorist saw us screaming and gave chase in his car. He stopped the taxi and the suspect was caught. Residents were so angry that they beat him up before the cops arrived," the mum said.
She said that the man confessed to taking the child to his shack where he tried to rape her but could not do it because she was crying.
"I'm happy my child is still alive but I'm devastated that her innocence was stolen," the mum said, adding that the little girl is undergoing trauma counselling.
Police spokesman, Captain Manyadza Ralidzivha, said the man is still recovering from his injuries in hospital and has been charged with kidnapping.
Ralidzivha said other charges would be added later.
- Dailysun
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