Koketso Platjie says a local gangster shot him while he was chilling with friends at a tavern.
Koketso alleged that the man who shot him is still roaming around the village, while he’s struggling to walk.
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Koketso Platjie (21) from Maboloka in the North West said he wants to see the man paying for his evil deeds the hard way, getting arrested and jailed for life.
He said he went out to a local tavern with his friend to chill when he was shot.
The worried man said he was shot by an alleged gangster when the culprit was chasing a person who was fighting with him inside the tavern.
“He tried shooting the person and missed him. That’s when I got shot,” he said.
The man said he went to relieve himself outside the tavern when he was shot at about 3am on 27 September 2025.
He said after he got shot, he felt dizzy, and the gangster drove off. Koketso spent over a month in hospital, and his left leg was cut off in the process.
“I’m in a wheelchair because of a local gangster who shot me and promised to kill me if I refuse to take a R10 000 bribe.”
“He told my mum that no police officer would arrest him in the village because cops are his friends,” he said.
Koketso further alleged that the gangster, around November 2025, sent his friends to his mum to tell her they would donate a leg for him. “I don’t want his money or leg. I want to see the gangster rot in jail,” he said.
He said the man wanted to kill him. “I’m struggling to cope, and my leg is still painful. I can’t go to school. Life is hard,” he said.
However, Koketso alleged that the gangster told the family that any case opened against him would disappear because police know him.
“The local police are failing me, and they don’t even call to update me about the case. I’m pleading for my case to be moved to Pretoria Police Station for better investigations,” he said.
Koketso said he knows the man who shot him. He said when he got shot, he was a grade 11 pupil at Lot Mashiane Secondary School in Letlhakaneng and still wants to become a lawyer.
His plea is to get justice. He’s also pleading for a left prosthetic leg but said he won’t take the one from the man who shot him.
Koketso’s heartbroken mum, Xolile Platjie, said the friends of the suspect visited her almost five times.
“The suspect is sending his friends to intimidate us at our home. We are scared of them. His friends even told me that we must go and withdraw the charges,” she said.
Koketso’s friend, Sfiso Mokgele (24), said: “We know who shot my friend in the tavern. I saw him hiding a gun in his trousers. We want justice for my friend.”
Community leader Muziwakhe Mazibuko (36) said: “We are hurt after the incident. These gangsters are terrorising the community.”
Another community leader, Andries Manganye (27), said there’s crime in the village.
North West Police spokesperson Constable Thuto Bobelo said an attempted murder case has been opened. “We are aware of the matter. The incident occurred on 27 September 2025, and the suspect was arrested.
“The case has been handed to court and is currently undergoing court processes. The court proceedings are not handled by the police,” he said.
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Meanwhile, North West NPA spokesperson Sivenathi Gunya said: “The case is still on the court roll. Next court appearance is on 10 March 2026. Postponed for further investigation.”
He said the suspect was charged with attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
