Minister of Police Bheki Cele said additional resources have been brought in to assist in the investigation of five-year-old Ditebogo Junior Phalane who was fatally shot during a hijacking, in Block UU, Soshanguve, north of Pretoria.
Cele was on Tuesday speaking outside the Phalane residence after meeting with the family.
Phalane was shot dead after he reportedly ran outside to welcome his father who had returned home around 10:30pm on Friday.
His father was driving a white Toyota bakkie which was taken during the incident.
The boy was rushed to the nearest hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival.
“I wonder if the day we find them they will be able to explain why they did it. I really wonder if they understand what they have done,” Cele said.
Cele said that they have enlisted the help of other agencies, who will bring their technology to assist the investigating team.
“It would not be wise now to say who are those...We are trying to amass every other kind of capabilities,’’ he added.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie has offered a R250,000 reward to anyone with information on the individuals who killed Phalane.
“I will be giving a R250,000 reward to anyone with information about the guilty party. Please DM me personally here on twitter. We must find them. I know someone knows who is responsible,” McKenzie wrote on his X account.
McKenzie also offered R1 million for the return of Joshlin Smith.
Phalane is one of the many children who have died from crossfire in the recent years in the country.
IOL News