‘Staggie killed on orders of 28s gang’
A SOURCE close to the investigation into the killing of Rashied Staggie said the murder of the Hard Livings (HLs) gang boss came at the behest of the 28s gang.
“Presently the 28s and HLs are locked in a deadly war. Two weeks ago a family member of alleged 28s gang leader was killed in Paarl. Pastors and councillors residing in the 28s territory are aware that the hit on Staggie was ordered by the 28s, but are too afraid to speak on record,” the source said.
The killing of Staggie, who died in a hail of bullets in the early hours of Friday in front of his Salt River home, came shortly after the death of HLs gang leader Balie Tips, who was gunned down in Westridge the previous day.
“The hit on Staggie goes back two years when alleged leader of the Nice Time Kids in Lentegeur Marwaan “Dinky” Desai was shot and killed in his parked BMW X5 at a garage in Pinelands. Once investigators put together the pieces of Dinky’s murder, the attack on Ralph Stanfield in Johannesburg, the failed attempts on the life of alleged Sexy Boys leader Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, the fight in the underworld to control security at nightclubs, the murder of Elsies River police officer Andre Kay, the recent massacre in Portland during which four people were killed and the 28s fight to control the drug trade, they will discover that all these are intrinsically linked, the source said.
He added that investigators should also zoom in on the assassination of lawyers Noorudien Hassan in November 2016, Pete Mihalik, killed on October 30, 2018, in Greenpoint, and Vernon Jantjies, who was gunned down last month in Lentegeur.
Forensic criminologist Dr Prixie du Toit, commenting on Cape Flats communities gripped by gang violence, said: “I cannot say much about the SANDF deployment to gang-infested areas. I’m not sure what tactic the SANDF used in these areas. Gangsterism won’t be toppled overnight and surely a different approach needs to be adopted.
“Gang violence is the secondary problem and the primary problem is why are gangsters fighting? It is all about gaining control over the drug trade. It is no use arresting the foot soldiers while the big bosses of these syndicates flourish.” She added: “Police intelligence is certainly not what I read and hear about. Our police officers are not properly trained and need urgent training in organised crime and how to infiltrate gangs.”
Meanwhile, Abieda Roberts, a spokesperson for People Against Gangsterism and Drugs, said they are not interested in the life and the past of Staggie. “It is not our concern what he has done. Our main concern and view is that it is indeed a good thing for the people that Staggie has died. Absolutely it is a victory for the people,” Roberts said.