A near riot broke out in a Cape Town court on Friday before the appearance of a man suspected of killing eight-year-old Tazne van Wyk.

Scores of people chanting “We want justice” forced their way into the Goodwood magistrate's court precinct after a handful of police officers abandoned attempts to keep them out.

In the hall outside court C, hundreds of protesters blocked all the entrances and exits. Police were soon forced to use their bodies to barricade the doors from the inside.

Tazne's father, Terence Manuel, appealed to the packed courtroom for calm so the appearance of Moydine Pangarker, 54, could go ahead.

Pangarker was arrested on Monday in Cradock, in the Eastern Cape, and appeared in court there the following day on a charge of kidnapping before being transported to Cape Town.

In Voortrekker Road outside the Goodwood court, a crowd of around 1,000 people brandished placards objecting to the fact that Pangarker had been freed on parole before completing a 10-year prison sentence culpable homicide in 2008.

Tazne was last seen on February 7, when she left her home in Ravensmead to buy an ice lolly at a nearby shop.

Her body was found in a storm water pipe in Worcester on Wednesday. It is believed to have been pointed out by Pangarker.

After his release on parole in October 2016, Pangarker was placed under correctional supervision at Ladismith Community Corrections Centre.

The correctional services department said a warrant of arrest was issued for him in February last year after he broke his parole conditions.

He was meant to appear at the Worcester Magistrate's Court on February 6 but did not arrive.

This is a developing story.