How many deaths before cops act?

Why does it have to take the tragic death of a five year old, shot during a hijacking as an innocent bystander after his dad arrived home in Soshanguve last Friday, for Minister of Police Bheki Cele and company to promise some action?

Less than a week after Ditebogo Phalane Junior was killed, Cele said additional resources will be allocated to the investigative team handling the murder case. Crime, and especially gun violence is not new to the area.

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Many gun-related incidents have been reported to the police, with no or very little action taken – much to the frustration of the community.

The latest tragedy led to Cele and his entourage visiting the grieving family, but the residents feel “it is too little, too late”.

One elderly local resident said: “People are finished here, some are injured. They have lost things, properties have been damaged and he comes now it just shows they don’t care. How can we trust them now?”.

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He added: “They come running for domestic violence issues and they beat up the perpetrators, but when you call them and tell them there is gun violence or a gun attack they refuse to come. They are scared of guns even though they have their own guns”.

How many deaths will it take before government and the police actually do something about crime?