Gauteng police earlier today arrested two suspects linked to the killing of five-year-old Ditebogo Phalane from Soshanguve UU.

The young boy’s life was tragically ended in Soshanguve, Tshwane, on Friday, during a violent hijacking incident involving his father.

According to a police statement, a vehicle believed to have been used during the hijacking was seized while a car jamming device, a firearm and a stolen vehicle were reportedly found in the men’s possession.

The police ministry this week deployed a stabilisation team to flush out criminality in Soshanguve, Rietgat, Loate and Mabopane as the areas have been heavily impacted by violent crime recently.

This was launched with the hope that residents could ‘take back the streets’ and be safe from criminals with the help of the police.

Police ministry

Minister of Police General Bheki Cele revealed that a team of Crime Intelligence, Detectives, Flying Squad, K9, and Rapid Response Teams coupled with Private Security and Community Policing Forum, Tactical Response Team, National Intervention Unit and Public Order Policing crime fighters would be involved in the fight against crime.

Cele said drone units of the police would also avail their tools to combat crime from the air.

In his address to the team, Cele urged community members to come forward with information to assist investigations and called on officers to be tough on crime.

Cele visited the Phalane family before he later held a crime prevention imbizo in the community of Jukulyn and promised to get to the bottom of rampant crime in the area, especially killings.

Cele said the national intervention is a response to the concerns raised by community members during a crime prevention Imbizo hosted by deputy police minister Cassel Mathale three weeks ago.

“We will not tolerate any form of criminality in our communities,” he said.

He added it is their job as the government to ensure residents in the townships are safe.

Family spokesperson

Family spokesperson Gift Makoti previously told Pretoria Rekord the tragedy had struck their family in the most unimaginable way.
“Ditebogo was hijacked in Soshanguve Block UU and his Toyota Hilux bakkie was stolen. Even more devastatingly, his five-year-old son Ditebogo Junior was shot during the incident and tragically lost his life.”

He said they as a family are heartbroken and appeal to anyone with information to come forward to assist the authorities in their investigation.

Ditebogo Junior became a big brother the week before his death.

“They just welcomed their third child, a baby girl.”