This is the moment quick-thinking parents stop a kidnapper who suddenly grabs their child, playing in front of the restaurant they are at, and starts to run off down the street with him.

The incident occurred at a venue near Amanzimtoti Main Beach, near eManzimtoti, in Durban Province, South Africa, on December 8.

Footage shows the child's parents sitting at a table outside while the kid plays on the pavement nearby.

Suddenly, a man appears and scoops up the child before running under the parents' noses.

The youngster reportedly screamed, and the parents quickly jumped up and chased after the brazen abductor, who promptly put the child back down.

Reports said he was arrested shortly after, but the police have not revealed his identity.

The National Coordinator at Missing Children South Africa, Bianca van Aswegen, told local media that the country is facing a missing children crisis despite the lack of accurate statistics.

She said: 'Unfortunately, there are no statistics available, the Missing Persons Bureau of SAPS [South African Police Service] has last released stats in 2013 regarding missing children. But as an organisation, we see an increasing number of children going missing.

'This is due to the number of cases reported to us. Kidnappings have escalated tremendously in South Africa and Trafficking in Persons is a real and prominent threat.'