Snl24 | Son (5) killed in hijacking: Family speaks

Phalane family spokesman, Gift Makoti said it looked like the father was ambushed. Photo by Raymond Morare

A FATHER was allegedly ambushed by thugs and robbed of his bakkie on Friday, 10 May.

Sadly, Ditebogo Phalane’s five-year-old son, Ditebogo Junior was shot during the incident and he later died.

Gift Makoti, family spokesman and Ditebogo’s cousin, said the boy was pronounced dead in the early hours of on Saturday, 11 May at Botshilu Private Hospital in Soshanguve, north of Tshwane.

“The father was coming from running his day-to-day errands while driving his white Hillux bakkie. He parked at the gate and moments later he was ambushed by the hijackers and was pointed with a gun. The boy came out of the house running to greet his father to welcome him back home and that’s when he was shot,” he said.

He said one of the thugs on the left side of the vehicle started shooting and unfortunately, one of the bullets hit the boy.

“Two of the robbers were armed. However, we cannot confirm the number of robbers involved. We just know that it’s no less than three of them,” he said.

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Makoti said the father confirmed the robbers were not following him, but rather waited for him as he was very vigilant driving home and when he opened the gate.

“There was no one next to him at the time, but within a few seconds, people were there,” he said.

He said the thugs were not following him because no car was visible in the street. “Apparently, it looked like the thugs were waiting for him as they drove off in his car,” he said.

He said they haven’t received any updates on whether the car has been recovered on not, which can help them find a bit of closure in terms of the police finding the killers.

“The crime here is rife, there are hijackings, robberies and kidnappings,” he said.

Makoti said the father is not doing well and both he and the mother are inconsolable.

Gauteng police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said: “No arrests have been made yet. The police are still searching for the suspects.”

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