Police are still hunting for the shooters who targeted one of Cape Town’s top criminal defence attorneys, William Booth, who survived an assassination attempt at his Higgovale home.
Booth had reportedly been inside his garage and was behind his wife’s vehicle when two gunmen wearing surgical masks opened fire on him just after 7.30am on Friday.
He was unharmed and the suspects fled the scene.
SCENE: Attorney William Booth survived assassination attempt at his Higgovale home on Friday. Picture: Leon Knipe
On Monday, Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said they have yet to make arrests.
The attempt on Booth’s life follows a series of deadly attacks on high-profile lawyers in the Cape in the past few years.
In October 2015, Booth was threatened for defending two men accused of sexually molesting children. At least five letters were delivered to his office and home.
In November 2016, Booth opened a case of intimidation with police after he received a threatening letter, warning “you are next”.
The threat came shortly after the murder of Advocate Noorudien Hassan.
Hassan was shot and killed while seated inside his car in front of his Lansdowne home in November 2016.
Hassan, 45, represented several high-flyers including convicted murderer and 28s gang boss Saliem John, Hanover Park gang kingpin Cecil “Ses” Brown, alleged gang boss Ralph Stanfield and businessman Irshaad Laher, who is suspected of supplying guns to Cape Town gangsters.
KILLED: Noorudien Hassan, 45
This was followed by the murder of Advocate Pete Mihalik who was gunned down outside of his children’s school in Green Point on 30 October 2018.
Mihalik, 50, and his girlfriend, Tasmin Tobitt, were dropping off his kids at Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard in Cavalcade Road when a gunman pulled up in a vehicle, walked up to Mihalik and shot him in the head through the driver’s window.
The motive for the killing is still being investigated, but it is believed to be gang-related as the Anti-Gang Unit is investigating.
A source told the Daily Voice that Mihalik had a R5 million bounty on his head because “he knew too much”.
WIPED OUT: Adv. Pete Mihalik
In May last year, criminal attorney David Mbazwana, was shot dead at a spaza shop in Khayelitsha in what looked like a robbery.
Mbazwana, 38, was one of the lawyers for Grant Veroni, of the company Skhosana Maponyane Hall Phillips and Khumalo, trading as The Security Group (TSG).
TSG is the company of alleged underworld kingpins Nafiz Modack and Colin Booysen, who authorities accuse of trying to violently take over the local nightclub security industry.
TARGET: David Mbazwana, 38
Then in December 2019, Advocate Vernon Jantjies was shot and killed in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain.
Jantjies represented Glenda Bird (who has since passed away).
She is the sister of alleged drug kingpin Fadwaan Vet Murphy.
genevieve.serra@inl.co.za