Police arrested two suspects for the murder of Mark Lifman shortly after the shooting on Sunday. Picture: Supplied
Cape Town - Jerome “Donkie” Booysen has accused the owner of PPA Security of being behind the assassination of underworld kingpin Mark Lifman, as two men affiliated with the popular security company appeared in the George Magistrate’s Court.
Two days after the shooting at Garden Route Mall, Lifman’s alleged killers have been charged and remanded in custody.
Lifman, 57, died in a hail of bullets on Sunday afternoon while walking to his bakkie. According to CCTV footage, a white VW Polo is seen speeding away from the scene.
The two alleged shooters were chased by police and security companies, culminating in their arrest near Uniondale as Johannes Hendrik Jacobs and Gert Johannes Bezuidenhout were arrested.
Just hours before the two appeared in court yesterday, CCTV footage from a nearby farm surfaced showing that the alleged hitmen drove to a farm after fleeing the scene where they changed the vehicle’s licence plates.
According to sources, both men work for PPA Security. Jacobs has been fingered as the shooter while Bezuidenhout allegedly drove the getaway car.
The case was remanded to November 13 for a bail information hearing.
Speaking to the Cape Argus before their appearance, Booysen said he was angry to hear that Alwyn Landman, the owner of PPA, was allegedly behind the hit.
“Both of them work for PPA and that ‘Johnny’ [Jacobs] is the guy who came from Task Force and he’s a good shooter. This was done by Alwyn because Johnny is his righthand man and doesn’t move a finger unless Alwyn says he must.
“That Alwyn is only where he is today because of Mark.
“He was nothing but a security guard at Shimmy Club and Mark is the one who gave him an opportunity as a bouncer and helped him work his way up in the security business.”
Landman did not respond to questions and referred all questions to Operations Manager Colin Adams, who claims Booysen is incorrect.
“The information provided to you by Mr Booysen is factually incorrect.
“Over the past approximately two years, Mr Jacobs has rendered ad hoc training services, predominantly for riot and crowd management, to PPA as an independent contractor.
“It is our understanding that he renders such training services to other companies as well.
“Mr Jacobs is not currently contracted to PPA and has never been employed by PPA.”
He said Bezuidenhout is also not employed by PPA but renders security services as an independent contractor.
“He is currently contracted to PPA but a decision has already been taken to terminate his contract with immediate effect. He was not on duty at the time of the alleged incident.”
Adams denies that PPA had any role in Lifman’s murder and said he had no links to the company.
“Mr Lifman played no role at all in establishing or operating PPA. In fact, there are articles in the media in which Mr Lifman is reported to have confirmed that he had no involvement in PPA.”
But an angry Booysen hit back saying: “He mustn’t talk (nonsense) he can’t argue with me. Mark helped and mentored Alwyn.”
Meanwhile, Lifman’s close friend Andre Naude revealed that four days before Lifman was murdered, there was an attempt on his life.
“Last Wednesday I was driving along the N1 highway near Paarl when a man pulled up next to me and showed me his gun. I pulled out my firearm and they sped away. No case was registered as nothing really happened. I knew Mark for 30 years and I am still in a state of disbelief even just sitting in court and seeing his seat empty. I know full well that Alwyn was a car guard who was helped by Mark.”
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