Parents warned to take extra care with their children after school.
The department of education is calling on communities to report suspicious activities around schools.
This after a man with a mental disability abducted a boy from Halfway House Primary School who was walking towards his scholar transport vehicle, Midrand Reporter reported.
The man took the child to a nearby residential complex. He, however, was stopped by a resident.
According to the one resident at Villa Roma, who wished to remain anonymous due to safety, neither the man nor the boy lives at the complex.
The resident said that the security guard became suspicious and called the man, and the boy into the complex while another resident called the child’s mother.
“Thank goodness the boy knew his mommy’s number. I would like to warn all mommies and daddies to please be extra careful with your kid and please ask the drivers to take care of them as well,” said the resident.
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Department of education spokesperson Oupa Bodibe said a preliminary investigation revealed that the little boy was kidnapped by an unknown man while walking to his transport. He added that the perpetrator was immediately apprehended by the guard from the nearby complex. Bodibe added that counselling was offered to both the parents as well as the affected schoolboy.
“The department would like to extend its gratitude to the guard for his vigilance and thereby ensuring the safe return of the learner to his parents. The department would also like to caution educators, staff and learners of the impending danger of strangers lurking around schools. We urge communities to be vigilant at all times and report suspicious activities around schools,” said Bodibe.
Spokesperson for Midrand Police Station Sergeant Matome Tlamela confirmed the incident and said the man from Kempton Park had a mental disability. “His family was called to come and fetch him in order to take him to a psychiatric hospital. No case was opened at the station.”
– Caxton News Service
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