A second accused was added to the murder case of City employee Wendy Kloppers.
Sharazaadht Essop joined Warren-Lee Dennis, who handed himself to the police on Monday.
The accused, who belong to the Firm Gang, were allegedly under the command of suspected 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield.
Two other new accused, Michael Morris and Chevonne McNabb, also appeared alongside Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The notorious couple were nabbed last year, with accomplices Johannes “Bal” Abrahams, Denver Booysen and Jose Brand, on various charges linked to the manhunt of a former employee of Stanfield after he allegedly stole over R1 million from Stanfield and Johnson.
Last week, three alleged hitmen, Jonathan Cloete, Abraham Wilson and Shakeel Pelston, also of the Firm Gang, were apprehended and appeared before the same court for the murder of 27s gang leader William “Red” Stevens.
“They were also accused of the attempted hit on the son of Jerome “Donkie” Booysen.
State prosecutor Frank van Heerden told the court yesterday that six more suspects are due to be arrested, with one of them implicated in Kloppers’ killing on 16 February 2023.
Van Heerden said: “The State is adding Morris as Accused 11, he faces charges of murder for William ‘Red’ Stevens, attempted murder, and illegal possession of a firearm and the unlawful possession of ammunition.
“McNabb faces the attempted murder of a State witness, possession of an unlicensed firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.
“Essop is charged with the attempted murder of Garron Potts and Alphonso Ambrose, possession of unlicensed firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition and the murder of Wendy Kloppers and attempted unlicensed firearm and ammunition.”
The four new accused all abandoned bail and the case was postponed to 13 September for further investigation.
Van Heerden requested that the matter be moved to the Western Cape High Court instead of regional court, due to the accused facing four counts of murder.
Luzuko Guma, the lawyer for Warren-Lee Dennis, revealed the details of his arrest.
He said the investigating officer informed him that police were looking for Dennis, and on Monday, he took his client into Bellville police station, “where he was charged for the murder Wendy Kloppers and an unknown person whose identity was withheld”.
The lawyer said he was not clear why his client was added to Stanfield’s case, adding that: “The State has advised that they will add the charges of POCA.”
Kloppers’ murder sparked an intense investigation by City manager Lungelo Mbadanzayo, who suspended all construction tenders and launched a mammoth investigation into companies and officials linked to the murky underworld, resulting in the suspension of officials and the blacklisting of companies.
This included 12 construction companies linked to and owned by Nicole Johnson and Ralph Stanfield.
Mayco member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim said yesterday that it was important to recognise that the court case was part of a broader web of individuals who wanted to “state capture” his department.
Pophaim adds: “We want to see anyone who is included not only in Ms Kloppers’ murder but also those deteriorating the sector and destabilising us from delivering to communities brought to book.
“The group wanted to stop the service delivery unless they were benefiting from it.”