Boy, 5 killed during botched hijacking

In the wake of the outcry over the brutal shooting of 5-year-old Ditebogo Phalane in Soshanguve, Pretoria, who was caught in the crossfire during a botched hijacking, calls have been made for heightened law enforcement efforts to curb the spike of crime in the area.

Just weeks after popular soul and R&B DJ and radio personality Peter Mashata was shot in Soshanguve on April 20, after performing at Epozini lifestyle, the community has been hard hit once more by criminal activity.

Police on Saturday confirmed that a 5-year-old boy was shot on Friday evening after he had gone to welcome his dad home at 10.30pm.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said that according to information, an unconfirmed number of armed suspects allegedly hijacked the father’s Toyota bakkie and shot the boy, who later died in hospital.

Masondo said police had opened a case of murder and hijacking and were searching for the suspects.

EFF MP Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, speaking to the Soshanguve station commander following a visit to the boy’s family home on Sunday, said he could not accept that the police in the country were completely compromised, and could be defeated by people who were not trained.

“You are taken through rigorous training to fight violence. I can’t accept the situation in Soshanguve can completely defeat you. Perhaps you can tell me what this big problem is,” he said.

The station commander said it was heartbreaking that a child should lose their life while their parents were co-operating with the criminals.

He added that he had already given priority to the matter to be investigated at district level, with police already embarking on additional efforts to reconstruct the scene and check local cameras to ensure a broad investigation was conducted.

Ndlozi said the father had taken him through the events, and explained how he did not understand why the hijackers had opened fire as they wanted the vehicle and he was co-operative.

Ndlozi said the father had described how one of the men holding a gun to his head seemed to be on some substance and “trigger happy”.

Cape Times