Tebogo Monama

Tebogo Monama

A Soweto mother has made a heart-wrenching plea to her community to help her put her son, an habitual criminal, behind bars.

Sybil Ramasuku is at the end of her tether after trying to get her son, Khotso "Mabokoto" Mosase, 23, arrested for crimes he committed in Meadowlands Zone 8 where she lives.

"I have received complaints from eight of our friends about how he stole their cellphones and three DVD players," Ramasuku said.

"I have encouraged them to open cases against him but they don't. I even went to the police myself and they said they could only arrest him if the complainants come forward."

The mother of three said her son had also stolen from her.

"He stole all my good cutlery and when I bought groceries he stole that too."

Ramasuku said her son began behaving badly in 2002 in grade 10.

"First, he said maths was too hard and dropped it. Then he said history was hard and dropped out of school. After that everything went bad."

Two months ago Ramasuku told her son to move out of her house.

"I don't know where he stays now," she said. " He goes to our relatives and tells them to come and ask me to forgive him, but he still goes out and steals. I took him to social workers and even for counselling but nothing has helped.

"He spent eight months in prison last year. I thought that would change him but it didn't.

I appeal to my friends and community to lay charges against him before a citizen shoots and kills him. It won't be fair for anyone to go to prison because of Khotso."

Orlando police spokesman Captain Happy Chocho said: "A mother cannot open a case against her son on behalf of her neighbours. We cannot arrest the boy if the neighbours do not lay charges."