Rival skollies' parents at war
|Published
SHOT AT: Ronald and Felecia Plaatjies targeted by gunman SHOT AT: Ronald and Felecia Plaatjies targeted by gunman
An 18-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly trying to kill a rival gangster’s 64-year-old mother.
But family of Aiden van Niekerk says he is
innocent and is being framed “out of jealousy”.
He was 17-years-old in July when he was arrested after shots were fired at Felecia Plaatjies’ home in The Hague, Delft.
Van Niekerk, his mother Natasha van Niekerk and her husband, Jan Steyn, were charged with intimidation after Felecia claimed she received a threat before the shooting.
The couple were later granted bail, but Aidan was remanded.
Felecia says the shooting on 27 July has left bullet holes in a wall and her roof.
Aiden is an alleged Wonderkid skollie while Felecia’s son, Franklin Plaatjies, 26, is a member of the Gifted gang.
Franklin has been behind bars for the past three months after he was arrested for a murder in Delft.
Felecia, who has previously buried two sons aged 30 and 37 due to illness, says she is not one of those mothers who defends her son’s gangster lifestyle.
“If he did the deed he must pay for it. It is sad because my son and the accused (Aidan) grew up together in the same community and now they are rivals,” she adds.
Shot fired at Plaatjies' home. Pictures by Tracey Adams
Felecia says about two days before the shooting on her house, an alleged skollie was shot and killed in their street.
“That day there was a body in the street and I said we all know who the murderer is. I was referring to Aidan and I said this to his mother too.
“Then my husband heard people shouting outside, saying Aiden moet my skiet.”
Her husband Ronald, 65, says: “They stood here in front of the house saying she must be shot (for saying that about Aidan).
“How must we feel now, we are church-going people. We are old and we are pensioners and I have asthma.”
Two days later, gunshots were fired at their home, but Felecia says she was in the separate entrance on her property and was not injured.
“A neighbour said the gunman stood behind the car in front of my house and was hiding there, waiting for me to come out.
“The gunman then shot at my house and the bullets hit the wall and the roof.”
But Natasha says her son is being framed and that he was actually the target on that day.
“Aiden and I were walking in Dulles Street,” she says.
“Gunmen, who are friends with Felecia’s son, started shooting and I think they were targeting Aiden and the bullets happened to hit Felecia’s house.
“My husband, who has a legal gun, fired warning shots at the gunmen.
“When we went to the police station to open a case, they soema arrested me and my husband for intimidation and Aiden for attempted murder.”
Natasha says in August, Aidan was arrested for another murder but says it’s impossible for him to be involved as he was in custody at the time of Felecia’s
incident.
“This is a whole jealousy thing. Aiden wants to change his life and wants to go to
college,” she says.
“My husband is a former reservist and he arrested Felecia’s son when he was 16 and now there has always been a rift.”
Felecia says Natasha took out a protection order against her on 9 September, claiming the Van Niekerk's are fearing for their lives.
“Never did I see the inside of a court and now I must face court,” the upset woman says.
She was due to appear in the Bellvile Magistrates’ Court today.