The man who allegedly shot dead a four-year-old boy at a recreational centre in Westdene, Johannesburg was granted bail by the Newlands Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Captain John Maluleke said Uriel Abrahamse (47) was granted R4000 bail.

"The court converted the charge from culpable homicide to murder," he said.

The matter was postponed to 28 November.

Little Gwowadeso Richard-Jon Junior Belang was shot on Tuesday at the Sunbeam playground and creche situated at the intersection of Park Lane and 5th Avenue on Tuesday.

This happened after a 15-year-old schoolboy had been walking past a park next to the creche when he was robbed of his cellphone. He ran home and told his father, who took his licensed firearm and went to look for the thief.

"They spotted the suspect at the park near the creche and he began to run. They chased him and the father then shot at him, but accidentally hit the four-year-old boy in his upper body. He died on the spot," Maluleke said.

Byron Davids (24) accused of stealing the cellphone, was denied bail by the same court.

"The case was postponed to 5 November," Maluleke said.

Gwowadeso was the son of a Pretoria police captain. He and his sister both attended the Sunbeam creche, Maluleke said.

Sapa