Security at Cape Town’s hottest party spots allegedly taken over by underworld figures

The Grand Africa Café & Beach is the playground for the well-heeled in Cape Town. But on April 2 a convoy of cars - including a Porsche Cayenne and five Toyota Avanzas - pulled into the parking lot and something peculiar happened.

According to Colonel Charl Kinnea‚ who testified in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Thursday‚ the manager was informed by alleged underworld figures that they were taking over security of the swish establishment.

Now Nafiz Modack‚ Colin Booysen (brother of alleged gang boss Donkie Booysen)‚ Jacques Cronje‚ Carl Lakay‚ and Ashley Fields have been arrested for extortion.

Their bail application has provided a glimpse into the alleged dark underbelly of the illicit security cartels operating among Cape Town’s nightlife scene. In recent months several shootings have taken place at clubs around the city.

Kinnea told the court that the establishment's manager said he was told that their security company stopped operating and that "TSG" would take over.

"At the time‚ the complainant said that he saw in the newspaper what was happening with the clubs in Cape Town‚ so for the safety of the workers and the patrons they decided to go along with it‚" said Kinnea.

State prosecutor Adiel Jansen has been accused by Modack's advocate‚ Edwin Grobbler‚ of orchestrating delays in the bail hearing to keep the accused behind bars until after the New Year celebrations in order to ''frustrate them".

The defence lawyers also interrupted Kinnea multiple times‚ especially when he led evidence alleging that Booysen and Lakay‚ along with more than 30 people‚ "violently interrupted" an auction which was also attended by controversial businessman Mark Lifman.

Kinnea said that during the altercation a man named Colin de Jager's firearm was stolen and it eventually made its way to Booysen's counsel‚ Pete Mihalik.

"It was unknown who gave [Mihalik] the firearm. I was told that advocate Mihalik contacted André Naudé and told him that he would give back the firearm to the lawful owner in exchange that cash of R20‚000 be paid to him‚" said Kinnea.

Brian Wainstein‚ who was killed earlier this year‚ paid Mihalik and the firearm was returned to De Jager.

The case continues.