Lifman accused fight back

THE two men accused of murdering slain underworld kingpin, Mark Lifman, have appealed after having bail denied at the Western Cape High Court. 

As preparations are underway for the murder trial to be held at the George Regional Court, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has revealed that the appeal by Gert Bezuidenhout will be argued at the High Court next month. 

Bezuidenhout was catapulted into the limelight when he was arrested alongside Johannes Hendrik Jacobs for the high-profile hit. Their bail applications were denied earlier this year. 

Lifman died in a hail of bullets at the Garden Route Mall in George on 3 November. Shortly after the shooting which was captured on CCTV cameras. 

Shortly after his death Lifman’s close friend, Jerome "Donkie" Booysen, publicly accused Alwyn Landman of PPA security of being behind the hit as they alluded to friendship links between him and Bezuidenhout. 

NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says: "The bail appeal of Gert Bezuidenhout and Hendrik Jacobs, charged with the murder of Mark Lifman, will be argued at the high court on 8 May 2025. Their main case will be at George Magistrates Court on 6 May 2025." 

At the time of the murder, PPA management explained that the duo had only done contract work for the popular security company and denied any involvement in Lifman’s murder. 

An investigation undertaken by the Daily Voice revealed Bezuidenhout is a trustee on a multi-million property trust registered as the AL Familie Trust.

Documents obtained by the Daily Voice show that Bezuidenhout and the PPA employee are both listed on the AL Familie Trust as trustees along with Landman and three others. 

The documents also revealed that four properties are registered in the name of the trust in Dolphin Beach, Fresnaye and Constantia worth over R20 million. 

In December last year, the Anti-Gang Unit raided the PPA premises in Northgate Island and cops confiscated firearms. On the same day cops also raided the home of a PPA employee in Table View. 

Now it has been revealed that none of the firearms could be linked to the murder and since returned. 

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie, says: "Be advised that the firearms cited in your enquiry were returned to the rightful owners following ballistic analyses performed on the firearms. The tests were negative in terms of linkages to any crime and therefore no need to dispose of the firearms but to return it’.