Scrap collectors badly beaten in Eldorado Park

Two scrap collectors accused of trying to snatch a school child were beaten to a pulp by a mob in Eldorado Park‚ south of Johannesburg on Friday.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kay Makhubela said community members alleged that the duo had tried to put a little school girl in a trolley they use to put their goods in.

WARNING: Video is not for sensitive viewers

"They confronted them and beat them. Now they are both in hospital‚" said Makhubela.

A video circulating on a community WhatsApp group showed a mob from the community beating the pair even as they were put in a police van.

"Take them out‚" a female voice is heard screaming.

One person is seen beating them with a green hose pipe. Another is seen hitting them with what appears to be a coffee mug. Another is seen getting on top of the police van and then putting his booted foot into the van as he repeatedly kicks them.

Baying for blood‚ another community member is seen carrying a brick towards the open passenger door of the police van where he then tries to hit the brick against the vehicle occupants.

A police officer is seen coming to the side of the van‚ trying to stop the angry crowd but he fails as the crowd enters the vehicle and drag the suspects out through the open doors‚ elbowing and punching them as the resisting pair grip onto the van.

A minute into the video‚ one of the suspects is finally taken out and once on the ground‚ he is dealt kicks and punches as he lies on the ground.

He crawls back to the police van but seemingly in a daze‚ he gets up and faces the crowd‚ touching his swollen face as though in pain.

"Moer hom [beat him]‚" a person from the crowd screams.

The man is kicked in the chest and he falls back onto the police van.

One woman goes after him with what appears to be a stick as he struggles to get into the van.

Another person pulls him out of the vehicle and he falls to the crowd‚ where other people‚ including a woman‚ come and kick him as he lies on the ground.

Blood which is oozing from his body soon drips on the street.

One person from the crowd picks up a large rock but community members stop him from crushing the badly injured man with it.

Makhubela however‚ said police had no evidence of the crime the two men were alleged to have committed.

"No one has come forward to lay a charge of [attempted kidnapping] or a missing child‚" said Makhubela.

Police were investigating the incident.