Family of Five-Year-Old Murdered Soshanguve Boy Appeals for Respect and Privacy.

The family of 5-year-old murdered Soshanguve boy Ditebogo Phalane junior has appealed for respect and privacy during this period of their grief.

Ditebogo junior was shot and killed on Friday evening when he rushed out of the house to meet his father who was at the gate and about to enter the yard with his bakkie.

According to witnesses, a group of armed men arrived at the scene to rob his father of his vehicle.

Witnesses insist that Ditebogo junior’s father was not resisting the hijacking and are still puzzled as to why the hijackers fired several shots in the first place and in the second place, why those shots were fired at an innocent 5-year-old boy.

“Tragedy has struck our family in the most unimaginable way because on 11 May 2024, Ditebogo Phalane senior was hijacked in Soshanguve, Block UU, and his Toyota Hilux bakkie was stolen,” said family spokesperson Gift Makoti in a media statement released today.

“Even more devastating is that his 5-year-old son Ditebogo junior was shot during the incident and tragically lost his life,” said Makoti.

“We are heartbroken and appeal to anyone with information to come forward to assist the authorities in their investigations,” said Makoti.

“Please note that this is a tragic and sensitive matter, and this statement should be issued with care and respect for the family’s privacy and grief,” he said.

Addressing the media this morning, Makoti revealed that the family was not doing well as a result of Ditebogo junior’s murder.

“It’s like we are in a movie and both parents, grandmothers and relatives are not doing well,” he said.

“The whole incident still feels fresh, we feel like it’s a movie and we have hallucinations of Ditebogo junior coming out of the house to play with other kids,” explained Makoti.

He said the whole incident leaves a bitter taste in the mouth considering how young the child was.

Meanwhile, City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink visited the Phalane homestead in Soshanguve on Monday morning to express his condolences to the bereaved family.

He was accompanied by DA premier candidate for Gauteng Solly Msimanga.

“As the mayor of the City of Tshwane I would like to express my deep and sincerest condolences for this devastating situation,” said Brink

“I have visited Soshanguve many times with Solly Msimanga regarding tragic incidents in the area, but this is by far the worst,” said the mayor.

“I’ve got two children of my own, but I can’t even imagine the pain that you are going through as a family,” explained Brink.

He said the City of Tshwane Municipality will look seriously into the issue of safety on the roads and in the streets because that is part of their duties and that those are the places where one would often find illegal guns that are used in committing various crimes.

“Everyone is talking about crime in Soshanguve but this incident (the murder of Ditebogo junior) is a turning point,” he said.