Joburg - Gauteng Police this morning confirmed that Gupta and Bosasa liquidator Cloete Murray has died in hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds to his upper body.
Murray, a professional insolvency practitioner who is reported to have been working on high-profile cases, and his son, Tom Murray, a legal adviser, were travelling together when their vehicle was shot at yesterday afternoon on the New Road offramp, N1, in Midrand.
Tom was fatally shot, while his father sustained injuries and was taken to Sunninghill Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and died this morning.
Crime activist Yusuf Abramjee said the incident happened around 2:30pm on Saturday. He said the two were travelling in a white Toyota Prado on the N1 north (from Joburg to Pretoria), apparently going home.
“While they were driving, gunmen came alongside their car and opened fire; the vehicle pulled off to the side. The son was on the passenger seat; he died immediately, and I’m told that Murray was shot in the head twice. Murray was involved in a number of high-profile liquidations, including those of Bosasa, a number of Gupta companies, and other cases,” said Abramjee.
He said Murray was on record last year, and while there was a dispute at the Masters office in Pretoria where two officials were suspended, he said there was an attempt to get rid of him, and he was worried.
“It appears that this incident was a hit to assassinate him, and in the mix of it all, his son got shot dead in broad daylight on South Africa’s busiest freeway,” said Abramjee.
Traffic was badly affected, and motorists had to use alternative roads.
Gauteng Provincial SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello confirmed that on March 18 two men (reportedly a father and son) were travelling together when their vehicle was shot at.
“The son was fatally shot, while the father sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital. The second victim in yesterday’s shooting at Midrand unfortunately succumbed to his injuries earlier this morning. The police will now be investigating two counts of murder,” said Sello.
She said the circumstances that led to the incident were unknown at this stage.
Sello said police request anyone who may have information that can assist with investigations to contact the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111 or anonymously report tip-offs on the MySaps application, which can be downloaded on any smartphone.
The Star