In March this year, Simon Stanfield was murdered in a shooting near Blikkiesdorp in Delft.

He was shot several times, while sitting in a vehicle in the Cape Town suburb.

Fast-forward to Saturday 4 November. A man known as Noor Stanfield Stephanus (or simply Noor Stephanus), was killed in a shooting in Valhalla Park, about 1okm away.

It is believed both murdered men are cousins of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield, who, together with his wife Nicole Johnson, has been in state custody since their arrest at their home in the upmarket suburb of Constantia at the end of September.

Along with three other men, the couple face charges including fraud and vehicle theft.

In Stanfield’s case, he also faces an attempted murder charge.

Stanfield, Johnson and their co-accused were recently denied bail in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.

They are both in custody, and expected back in court in February 2024.

Read more in Daily Maverick: ’Tis the season to be vigilant as Cape Town crime world seethes

Last month, Daily Maverick reported that recent arrests and assassinations linked to organised crime in Cape Town would create power tussles in those circles, and probably result in more violence.

There have been more shootings since.

Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson at the Cape Town Regional Court on 16 September, 2023. Ralph Stanfield and co-accused are on trial on approximately 111 charges related to the illegal acquisition of firearms licences. (Photo: Gallo Images/Die Burger/Jaco Marais)

Another fatal shot

On the afternoon of Saturday, 4 November 2023, Stephanus was fatally shot in Valhalla Park.

Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed a 41-year-old, who he did not name, was murdered, and a second man was wounded.

The shooter or shooters fled.

“Bishop Lavis police responded to a complaint of a shooting, and upon arrival on the scene they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their bodies,” Twigg said.

“The 41-year-old victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the other victim was taken to a medical facility for treatment.”

Police were investigating the motive for the shooting.

28s and The Firm

The area that Stephanus was shot in, Valhalla Park, was previously flagged in a Western Cape High Court judgment in a gang-related case.

It said: “The [28s] gang has a number of leaders, including the Stanfield family, who control the 28s in the Valhalla Park area.”

The judgment added that Stanfield was the leader of The Firm, a gang conglomerate with a heavy 28s membership.

In the case that is playing out in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, it was also alleged that Stanfield headed The Firm.

Read more in Daily Maverick: The Firm: Gang with ‘deep drug roots’ surfaces in 28s accused Ralph Stanfield’s case

Stanfield’s uncle Colin Stanfield was believed to have been the leader of The Firm before his death in 2004.

It is understood that Stephanus, who was murdered on Saturday, was Colin Stanfield’s son. (Aside from information that points to this, Daily Maverick has seen a photograph suggesting that this was indeed the case.)

Stephanus’s janazah (funeral rites according to his Muslim faith), was at the weekend, it is also understood.

Murdered cousin

Meanwhile, on 13 March this year, a man named Simon Stanfield was murdered in a shooting in Delft.

During Stanfield and Johnson’s bail application, in the case they are still in custody for, an affidavit from the investigating officer in the matter, Lieutenant Colonel Christiaan van Renen, was read out.

It confirmed that Simon, who was murdered in March, was Stanfield’s cousin.

Van Renen’s affidavit had alleged that in November 2022, a witness in the case Stanfield is now an accused in, heard Stanfield ask Simon: “Hey jy nog niks van [the complainant] gehoor nie?” (Haven’t you heard anything about the complainant?)

The witness had also allegedly heard Stanfield tell Simon: “Daar is nie meer hoop vir hom nie; julle moet klaar maak met hom.” (There is no hope for him; you must finish him off.)

Simon was murdered about five months after that.

A killing and gun accusations links

About two weeks before Simon’s death, another individual linked to Stanfield was killed.

Ernest McLaughlin was murdered in the Cape Town suburb of Belhar on 2 March 2023.

Read more in Daily Maverick: ‘I want to empty a gun in his head’ – chilling affidavit about alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield’s ‘plans’

In the current case against Stanfield, Van Renen’s affidavit alleged that in December last year a witness heard Stanfield tell McLaughlin: “Ek wil hê julle moet [the complainant] vang en na my toe bring; ek wil ’n 16-shooter leeg skiet in die kop.” (I want you to catch him and bring him to me; I want to empty a 16-shooter in his head.)

A “16-shooter” is a reference to a 9mm handgun that can fire 16 rounds.

McLaughlin was shot dead about three months after that. 

He was a suspect in another case in which Stanfield and Johnson are among a group of accused.

That case stems from 2014.

It is based on allegations that three (now former) police officers linked to the Central Firearm Registry — Priscilla Mangyani, Billy April and Mary Cartwright — issued gun licences to Stanfield and others who had no legal right to them.

The firearm licence case is expected to resume next month. DM

In her book, Clash of the Cartels, Dolley provides unprecedented insight into how specific drug cartels and syndicates have operated via South Africa. Read more here.