Claims of a gang war following the assassination of Hard Livings gang boss Rashied Staggie are unsubstantiated, say Cape Flats cops.
This follows widespread rumours and speculation of retaliation shootings in Manenberg despite no gang fights being recorded by Manenberg Police Station over the weekend.
Staggie, 63, was shot and killed outside his London Road home on Friday morning while sitting in the passenger seat of a silver Toyota Corolla.
Rashied Staggie was shot and killed inside his car in London Road Salt River. Picture: Leon Knipe
According to a witness, two gunmen were seen running towards the vehicle parked outside his home and firing at least 12 shots through the windscreen.
He was rushed to Groote Schuur Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Crying relatives returned to the crime scene and informed bystanders that Staggie had died, while the Anti-Gang Unit shut the road and forced shocked neighbours back into their homes.
Family crying on the scene where Rashied Staggie was shot and killed inside his car in London Road Salt River. Picture: Leon Knipe
Hours after his death, eNCA tweeted that Staggie’s son, Abdullah Taliep Boonzaier, was also shot, according to an unnamed relative who gave no other details.
The news agency later apologised for the error.
A close relative of Boonzaaier confirmed to the Daily Voice that it was fake news and that Dullah, as he is known, was never shot.
The day before Staggie was killed, another dik ding of the Hard Livings gang, Taariq Solomons aka “Ballie Tips”, was shot four times in a drive-by shooting in Lentegeur.
A police source says four suspects were in a white Hyundai i20 which was reported hijacked in Lentegeur.
“There were four cartridges on the scene and he had two kop skote. Law Enforcement got them on the corner of AZ Berman Drive and Spine Road, but they jumped out of the car and fled. Ballie Tips was the HL leader for the Mitchells Plain cell,” says the source.
HL dik ding Taariq Solomon gunned down. Picture supplied
Police spokesperson, Novela Potelwa, said no arrests have been made for Staggie’s murder yet.
Meanwhile, a highly placed source close to the investigation says the two murders are not linked.
“Ballie Tips was killed because his laaitie stabbed someone in Mitchells Plain. The incident was not reported to the police, but he was warned to handle it and that is why he was shot in a suspected hit by the Ghetto Kidz gang.
“Ballie Tips used to be a Ghetto many years ago, but after a fight with another Ghetto dik ding in Hanover Park he jumped kamp to the HLs.”
The source says several gang bosses are rumoured to be behind the hit on Staggie, but to date there is no concrete evidence to link them.
Acting Manenberg Police Station commander, Colonel Sanele Zama, says fears of a gang war as a result of Staggie’s death are unfounded.
GANG WAR FEARS: Rashied Staggie. Picture: Brenton Geach
He says the station only recorded one shooting incident the entire weekend.
“These rumours and speculation is unfounded. We had one shooting incident where a man was hit by a stray bullet as it appears somebody was testing a gun.
“He didn’t even see the shooter as it was dark. But there has been no gang fights in Manenberg the entire weekend and the intel gathered indicates there are no intentions for a fight.
“It’s just that Staggie is from Manenberg and now people are speculating the police are more worried about Woodstock.”
Woodstock SAPS spokesperson, Sergeant Hilton Malila, said “unprecedented” shooting incidents occurred on Friday and Saturday.
He said four men, allegedly gang members, were arrested in two unrelated incidents.
In the first incident on Friday, on the corners of Victoria Road and Durham Avenue, a young man was shot several times and injured in a drive-by shooting.
The suspects, aged 32, were nabbed on Sunday morning in Hofmeyer Lane and charged with attempted murder, the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Saturday, on the corners of Page and Cornwall streets, another man was shot in the leg by two known suspects.
One suspect was nabbed the same night and the other on Sunday morning in Hercules Street.
The Salt River Sub-Forum Sector 3 Community Policing Forum’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Zuhayr Soeker, says Staggie’s murder has rocked the community who is “feeling on edge”.
He says both the Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) and neighbourhood watch have bumped up patrols.
But, a spokesman for People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad), Haroon Orrie said mense should not worry about revenge attacks.
“They shouldn’t have this concern. This is a blessing for the country and particularly the Western Cape because of the torment over the years, this is a firm and stern warning for the people who support them (gangs) to stop,” he said.
Rashied Staggie with his friend and ministering partner, Pastor Ivan Waldeck. File photo/Cindy Waxa.
Meanwhile, Staggie’s friend and ministering partner, Pastor Ivan Waldeck, said a memorial service will be held on Tuesday and Staggie will be buried as a Christian.
“A memorial service will be held [today] in Observatory. The announcement of funeral arrangements for Saturday will also be announced then,” Waldeck said on Monday.
monique.duval@inl.co.za
robin.francke@inl.co.za