The two men accused of killing alleged underworld kingpin Mark Lifman allegedly plotted their hit for six months as they tried to get a R10 million bounty on his head.
This was according to a highly-placed source, as the murder-accused duo appeared in the George Magistrates court yesterday.
According to the Daily Voice source, Johann Jacobs and Gert Bezuidenhout had been part of a six-month plot which included multiple trips to the Garden Route to scout the area, trace Lifman's movements and plan an escape route.
But despite their extensive planning, they were busted just hours after the 57-year-old was gunned down in the parking lot of Garden Route Mall on 3 November.
Footage from a farm near Uniondale revealed how the duo changed the number plates of the white VW Golf used in the shooting to avoid detection by police.
But the source revealed the plot ran much deeper.
The insider tells the Daily Voice: "See, they were planning this for a long time.
“Since the car used in the murder was impounded, a lot of work has gone into the tracking of how this vehicle moved around prior to the shooting.
“They were scouting George and Knysna for at least six months prior, and the car was even picked up in Table View (in Cape Town) four days before the shooting."
The source says the alleged hitmen were equipped with gloves, bras and wigs to conceal their identities after the murder.
He adds of their planne: "After they were arrested a bag containing some interesting items was found.
“They had six sets of license plates, a bra, ammunition and even female wigs and it is suspected that they planned on dressing up like women.
“They also had gloves and it is suspected this was to ensure they did not get gun residue on their hands."
The duo will have to wait a month before their bail hearings are heard at the same court.
Jacobs and Bezuidenhout were seen wearing K-Way hoodies as they appeared before Magistrate Edna Moloro.
Heavily-armed officers of the SAPS Riot Police filled the public gallery as they blocked off entrances to the courtroom.
During proceedings, the State prosecutor informed Moloro that the identity parades had not yet been concluded and called for a ban on media photographers until this process is completed.
Defence lawyer, attorney Bulelani Bans, officially came on record for the duo and informed the court that he had consulted with their families.
An advocate from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will be assigned to the matter as well.
The case was postponed to 12 and 13 December for the formal bail hearings to take place.
Meanwhile, a close associate of Lifman revealed that there was a R10 million bounty on his head.
The source said the conflict originated in a pub fight on a mine near Middelburg, Mpumalanga.
"This thing started in March in Middelburg, not Cape Town. There is a guy who is a big businessman who was allegedly high on drugs and throwing his weight around.
“He was throwing Mark's name around and Mark was called. He confirmed he knew the businessman and the situation was defused and the businessman told to stop his nonsense."
The insider said the fight escalated with takeovers of the security contract at the mine.
He adds: "That guy then wanted the security contracts and threw his weight around because he has money. We were also told that he offered R10 million for the murder of Mark."
At the time of his death, Lifman, along with Jerome Donkie Booysen, Andre Naude and several others, was on trial for the murder of “Steroid King” Brian.
monique.duval@inl.co.za