Suspected hitman in court for murder of former Hawks sleuth’s father

A man suspected of shooting the 74-year-old father of a former Hawks investigator was hauled before a court this week.

Abongile Nqodi, 35, a sentenced prisoner, is accused of killing Nicholaas Heerschap — the father of former Warrant Officer Nico Heerschap — in Melkbosstrand, Cape Town, in 2019. The pensioner was shot at close range outside the home he shared with his son.

Nqodi appeared in the Atlantis magistrate’s court on Tuesday on charges ranging from conspiracy to commit murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition to gang-related offences.

Heerschap, who was attached to the Hawks’ serious commercial crime investigation team in Cape Town, quit his job shortly after his father’s death.

“It was understood that the murder was actually aimed at Warrant Officer Heerschap and not his father and the motive was due to the investigation he was busy with at the time of his father’s murder,” said Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani.

“Preliminary investigation by the detectives unearthed that Nqodi was allegedly fingered in a string of serious cases, including the murder of Mr Nicholaas Heerschap as well as other murder cases.

“It is reported that the deceased was shot and killed while he was behind the steering wheel of a Toyota Land Cruiser, reversing out of their driveway, taking his grandchild to school. It is understood that the vehicle was normally driven by his son, Warrant Officer Heerschap, prior to the murder.”

Hani said CCTV footage showed a black Mercedes-Benz dropping off two alleged hitmen near the crime scene and them approaching the deceased on foot and killing him.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of Nqodi, a sentenced prisoner detained at Pollsmoor prison, for an unrelated offence,” said Hani.

The matter was postponed until Friday for a possible plea and sentence agreement.

“More arrests are imminent,” said Hani.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.