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Johannesburg – Two men were hospitalised after community members beat them up for allegedly kidnapping a young girl in Eldorado Park on Friday.
Captain Philemon Khorombi said community members alleged that the two men, who were collecting plastic bottles, kidnapped the girl and put her in a trolley.
He said police were called to the scene after they received reports that members of the community had assaulted the two men.
In a video that went viral on social media, several community members could be seen pulling two men from a police van.
The locals were seen throwing stones and some used belts and plastic pipes to beat the two men up.
Some were heard shouting: "Trek die ding uit (pull him out). Moer hulle, moer hulle (beat them up, beat them up)."
A police officer stood by helplessly as the men were dragged out of the van and beaten up.
At one point a man could be seen on the ground, bleeding profusely, while his attackers continued to kick him.
Khorombi said residents had also burnt tyres and barricaded the roads.
Roads were cleared by Friday afternoon.
No arrests have been made, but a few people were taken in for questioning.
"… so far the alleged girl or the parents never came forward to [report] a case. No one is coming forward from [the] members of the community. There is a need to [report] a case. People can't just be beaten," Khorombi said.
According to Charis Pretorius of the Local Drug Action Committee (LDAC) in Eldorado Park, the girl was taken home to her parents.
"Police should have said there is a case that is still under investigation. The parents have been informed that they need to go to the police station to [report] a case," she said.
