PLEASE NOTE: This story has been edited and the identities of those involved have been removed as the child has since been found.
As a result, he can no longer be named as he is a vulnerable minor and is no longer in jeopardy.
You can read the update here.
The three-year-old was with his 52-year-old grandmother.
Police spokesperson Colonel Naidu said the two were waiting for the boy’s mother.
“While there, a woman who introduced herself as Meagan from Schauderville struck up a conversation with the grandmother and after while, both women went across to the nearby shopping centre to buy liquor,” she said.
“They went back to the beach and waited for the child’s mother who never arrived. The two women stayed on the beach and a while later, at about 6pm, Meagan went back to the shopping centre to buy cigarettes.
“She took the child with her and never returned.”
Naidu said the matter was reported to police on Saturday morning.
At the time of his disappearance the boy, who is from Bethelsdorp, was wearing a grey sweater and blue shorts.
The suspect, between the ages of 25 and 30, is dark of complex and fluent in Afrikaans and English.
“She has a tattoo on her arm and ankle (unknown design) and may possibly be from Schauderville,” Naidu said.
“At the time of the kidnapping, she was wearing a pink striped top with pink jeans and black takkies. A scarf was tied around her hair.”
The Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit in Port Elizabeth is investigating a case of kidnapping.
Anyone with information about the child or the woman is asked to contact Captaing Machewula on 071 352 4644 or the nearest police station.