Cape Town - Chilling testimony of a self-confessed gangster and hitman, allegedly hired by Nafiz Modack and a group of gangsters, were heard in court as he recalled the day he shot and killed the 74-year-old father of a Hawks detective.
Taking the stand for a second day in the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday, the 38-year-old, identified only as “Mr A”, lifted the lid on what led up to the murder of Nicolaas Heerschap.
Heerschap was killed in Melkbosstrand in July 2019 in an alleged hit that was meant for his son.
The hitman, already serving a 25-year sentence for the murder, confessed to being a member of the Terrible West Siders gang.
He previously outed Moegamat “Bubbles” Brown as the leader of the gang, and identified Riyaat Gesant, Fagmeed Kelly and Mario Pietersen as being the henchmen.
He said he was approached by Gesant, Kelly and Petersen, who told him they needed him for a job but warned that it would result in prison time. However, he was not afraid of being locked up.
He claimed that he was selected as he was used to walking in “white people’s areas with MyCiTi buses”.
The hitman said he was told by Brown that there was a “big boss” who would pay R60 000 for the murder, and he agreed to be the main shooter.
He claimed they were given a black Mercedes-Benz to carry out the hit and agreed to wear special clothing, including reflector bibs.
On arrival at Heerschap’s home, he said the shooting happened quickly as he saw the Jeep described to him reversing out of the driveway.
After firing two shots through the driver’s window, the hitman said he ran towards the car to escape but looked back one more time.
“I saw the wheels of the car were still spinning and then I knew, he is dead. It’s over for him.”
He said after fleeing from the murder scene he was confused, as after pulling the trigger he realised the target was an elderly white man and did not fit the profile of usual gang hit victims. “It bothered me,” he told Judge Robert Henney.
The hitman said he was later told by Brown that the murder was carried out on behalf of Modack, but admitted that Modack never gave him an instruction to shoot anyone.
He pointed out Modack’s co-accused, Ziyaad Poole, whom he said arrived with R25 000 the next day.
He said the money was divided and each person was paid R5 000 for their roles in the murder.
He said the gang had initially planned to sell the Mercedes-Benz, but were told that the Hawks were on the hunt for the vehicle so they set it alight instead.