The festive hopes of a group allegedly linked to the deadly turf war over Cape Town’s nightclub security were dashed after the court refused to entertain their applications for bail on Monday.
Police arrested Nafiz Modack‚ Colin Booysen‚ Jacques Cronje‚ Ashley Fields‚ James de Jager‚ Mathys Visser and Carl Lakay on extortion charges on Friday. They are reportedly underworld figures involved in a bid to take over the city’s nightclub security.
Booysen is the brother of alleged gang boss Jerome Booysen who was in the spotlight recently after he survived a hail of bullets in an attack at the Cape Town International Airport. The prosecution asked for seven days in order to profile the men and this was granted.
The men appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court under heavy police guard. Major-General Jeremy Vearey‚ one of the top police officers in the province‚ said the timing of the arrest was‚ in part‚ to ensure a safe festive season in Cape Town.
“We have received several complaints from the CPF (community policing forum)‚ from various business people and the community about some related matters‚” said Vearey.
“It is important for us now‚ particularly during the festive season‚ [with] Cape Town busy with tourism. The community wants to share the entertainment space that the city has to offer. That the people do so without tension‚ worry and rest assured that they will be able to enjoy themselves without having to look over their shoulder whether a bullet might be fired into a club or a fight might be breaking out for some reason.”
The men will appear in court on December 27 for a formal bail application.
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