Gunmen killed a five-year-old boy in a hail of bullets - after the child ran out to greet his father while the thieves were hijacking his truck. 

Little Ditebogo Phalane Jr was gunned down outside his home in Soshanguve, near Pretoria, South Africa, on May 10 around 10pm.

Thieves were in the middle of stealing the family's Toyota pick-up when Ditebogo was shot, according to local media.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said: 'An unconfirmed number of armed suspects allegedly hijacked the father's white Toyota Hilux bakkie and shot the five-year-old boy who later died in hospital.'

The little boy's heartbroken family appealed for any witnesses to come forward. Family spokesperson Gift Makoti said: 'We thank the community for their support during this difficult time.'

Little Ditebogo Phalane Jr was gunned down outside his home in Soshanguve, near Pretoria, South Africa, as he was running toward his father on May 10 (father and son pictured together)

Thieves were in the middle of stealing the family's Toyota pick-up when Ditebogo (pictured) was shot, according to local media

The little boy's heartbroken family (pictured with Ditebogo before his death) appealed for any witnesses to come forward. Family spokesperson Gift Makoti said: 'We thank the community for their support during this difficult time'

Local police are investigating the killing and the leader of the Patriotic Alliance, a South African political party, has offered a reward to anyone helping to find Ditebogo's killers.

Gayton McKenzie said he would give £10,000 (250,000 Rands) to 'anyone with information about the guilty party'.

Another reward of £430 was offered by a local investigating agency. 

Politician Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said that his Economic Freedom Fighters party would put pressure on the police to catch the gunmen.

'This is a matter of a five-year-old. No one deserves to go through what the Phalane family is going through. No one has to lose their child in the way they did and we are going to make sure police do their job,' he told local outlet TimesLive.