Cape Town - Controversial businessman and alleged underworld kingpin, Nafiz Modack, the alleged leader of the Terrible West Siders (TWS), Moegamat Toufiek Brown, alias “Bubbles”, and four others appeared in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
Modack and Brown, along with Moegamat Ziyaad Poole, Mario Petersen, Riaad Gasant and Fagmeed Kelly, made a brief appearance and were formally charged with the murder of Nicholaas Heerschap, 74, who was shot during a hit meant for his son, outside their home in Melkbosstrand in 2019.
Heerschap’s son, a former member of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), Warrant Officer Nico Heerschap, a seasoned detective attached to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team in Cape Town, was investigating Modack at the time.
The group are further charged with conspiracy to commit murder, premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition as well as under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca)121 of 1998, linked to gang-related offences.
According to the Hawks’ Colonel Katlego Mogale, the hit was aimed at the former Hawks officer.
“It is understood that the murder was actually aimed at the detective Warrant Officer Heerschap and not his father. Detective Heerschap was allegedly targeted by a criminal syndicate for his investigative work at the time of his father’s murder, he exited the service shortly after the incident,” Mogale said.
Provincial head of the Hawks, Major-General Mathipa Makgato, applauded the team for their efforts.
The arrest of the group comes after the Hawks managed to successfully secure a conviction and sentence for 35-year-old Abongile Nqodi, after he entered into a plea and sentencing agreement with the State in April.
Nqodi was convicted on charges of participating in the activities of a gang, conspiracy to commit murder, murder, illegal possession of a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.
He was sentenced to 25 years’ imprisonment for murder with five years suspended, 10 years in jail for the illegal possession of a firearm, another 10 years’ imprisonment for the illegal possession of ammunition, five years for participating in gang activity and an additional five years for conspiracy to commit murder.
At the time, Nqodi told the court he was a member of the 28s prison gang and a member of the Terrible West Siders which operated in Woodstock.
He confessed that together with three accomplices, Gasant, Kelly and Petersen, he drove to an address in Melkbosstrand to kill the Hawks detective on July 9, 2019.
The court heard that on arrival at the address they noticed a white man reversing a bakkie out of the yard. Nqodi and Gesant, who was a backup shooter, went up to the vehicle and he shot the driver twice in the head.
The victim turned out to be the intended target’s father.
The court heard they were paid R25 000 for the assassination which was split five ways.
He also told the court that he had met with Modack later in Kuilsriver where he was congratulated on a job well done.
He said Modack allegedly told him not to be concerned about legal fees as these would be covered, and allegedly gave him the name of the lawyer who would be representing him.
Nqodi confessed to murdering his victim on instructions he received from Modack and Bubbles, the leader of the Terrible West Siders.
He also pinpointed Modack as the funder for the murder.
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