Parents warned to be extra cautious as child almost kidnapped in broad daylight in Joburg

A video has gone viral on Facebook showing an attempted kidnapping of a child in Johannesburg North on 10 September.

In the video, two women sitting opposite each other with a child sitting on each of their sides. They all look back after what seemed to be some loud noise, a man jumps over the restaurant barrier and attempts to snatch the child.

Fortunately for the child, one of the women held tightly to her, and he failed to snatch her. Another alert man dragged him to the ground and they scuffled on it for some time.

Also Read: What to do if your child goes missing

According to Cape Town etc website, the kidnapper was apprehended, and the child was safe.

The Safeguard Security Team stated: “We have received increased reports of children being kidnapped at restaurants and shopping malls in the Johannesburg northern suburbs.”

To ensure the safety of your children when out, they suggest that you pay special attention to the below:

• Always know your child’s whereabouts and they know yours
• Teach them about ‘stranger danger’ meaning they don’t talk or listen to strangers
• Before releasing them to the playground, make sure they know where you are seated
• Teach them to scream for you when someone is giving them instructions or making them feel uneasy, as they tend to keep quiet when this happens.