A Laingsburg cop has lifted the lid on the link between popular TikTokker Suhail Mohamed, 34, aka Mr Zulu, and Durban arms dealer Anderson Padayachee, saying Mohamed was present during a gun bust in 2018.
This was revealed at the Western Cape High Court on Thursday as Padayachee returned for the continuation of his trial.
The owner of Anderson’s Guns and Ammo situated in Wentworth, Durban, pleaded not guilty to 66 charges which include murder, attempted murder, fraud, violating the Fire Arms Control Act as well as charges under the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act (Poca).
Padayachee is accused of selling firearms illegally to the Terrible Josters gang and was busted by the Hawks in February 2021.
At the time of his arrest, it was revealed that cops seized 17 illegal firearms in George which were in transit from Johannesburg, allegedly destined for Cape Town gangs. A further 44 firearms were seized from his business.
Sergeant Shavon Colin Felix took the stand and told Judge Daniel Thulare that he first crossed paths with Padayachee on 9 June 2018 as he travelled between Laingsburg and Touws River.
He said Padayachee was driving a silver VW Polo sedan at a high speed and he recorded the number plate. After it was discovered that the plate was fake, he chased after Padayachee with sirens blaring and called for backup.
He managed to stop the vehicle with the help of Touws River SAPS, and found Padayachee behind the wheel, accompanied by a woman and two children in the back seat, and a bearded man in the passenger seat.
Felix said Padayachee claimed that Mohamed was his brother.
The group were taken to Touws River SAPS after cops discovered a firearm in the car. A thorough search of the vehicle revealed 17 more firearms and 24 magazines in the boot.
Felix said after first lying about not having any firearms or anything illegal in his car, Padayachee confessed that he was an arms dealer in Durban and was going to sell the firearms in Cape Town.
During a photo identity parade conducted a year later, it was revealed that the bearded man was Mohamed.
Asked how he could remember them so clearly, Felix responded: “I identified the passenger and the driver because I was talking to them for [long] periods of time. I remember their faces.”
Earlier this month, Mohamed was shot and injured in front of the home of slain alleged gang boss, Peter Jaggers, in Netreg while standing outside a white Range Rover.
After the death of Jaggers, who had allegedly been kidnapped by a Colombian drug cartel, Mohamed posted a picture with the deceased and said: “My brother and friend, until we meet again.”
Felix told the court he later learnt that both Mohamed and Padayachee had been let go, along with the firearms, as none of the guns were found to be stolen.
monique.duval@inl.co.za