By Paul Nyathi| A South African man has been arrested for attempted murder after he threw his two year old baby from a four metre high rooftop.

South Africa media, HeraldLive captured jaw breaking images of the man throwing the baby from the rooftop after negotiations between him and the police to spare the child failed.

The media house reports that, the man went on top of his illegally constructed house at Joe Slovo Informal Settlement in Richards Bay which was due for demolition by government.

When authorities started executing the demolishing order, the man took his baby up the house and threatened to kill the baby if his house was not spared.

Police engaged with him in a half an hour long negotiation to let go the baby but failed to guarantee him that his house would be spared demolition resulting in him throwing the baby.

Alert members of the public and police officers safely caught the baby before hitting the ground.

HeraldLIVE photographer Werner Hills captured the moments of the whole ordeal.

The man was arrested, and social services were contacted.