Cape crime – another of 28s gang boss accused Ralph Stanfield’s cousins killed

A shooting in the Cape Town suburb of Valhalla Park points to an intricate web of criminality involving suspicions of 28s gang connections and several individuals, some suspected of lawbreaking, being murdered.

Craig Stanfield was killed in Valhalla Park on Tuesday. (Photo: Facebook)

Craig Stanfield was killed in Valhalla Park on Tuesday, 17 December, in one of the latest shootings in the city.

There were other reports of gunfire in another suburb on the same day.

According to sources with knowledge of the circles he operated in, Craig is a cousin of 28s gang accused Ralph Stanfield.

Read more: South Africa’s gang capital and its murderous matrix

Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson were arrested in the upmarket Cape Town suburb of Constantia in September 2023.

They have been in custody since.

They were arrested for a car theft and fraud case that has grown significantly to include other accused and charges.

Ralph Stanfield outside court on 16 September 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / Die Burger / Jaco Marais)

Stanfield and Johnson are yet to formally plead in that case, which is expected to resume in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court next year.

As for Stanfield, he has also been accused of involvement in a former gang boss’s murder.

Read more: Shake-up in SA’s gang capital — Latest shooting points to broader Cape Town gang ructions

Craig is the third of his cousins to be murdered since last year – the other two cousins were shot in May and November 2023.

About a decade before that, in October 2013, Saliem John, also a cousin of Stanfield’s, was wounded in a shooting on the steps of the Western Cape High Court where he was on trial for various crimes.

John was subsequently sentenced to life in jail for crimes including three murders.

‘Gang motive suspected’

On Wednesday, 18 December, Western Cape police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk confirmed that there had been a shooting in Valhalla Park the day before.

A murder and attempted murder case was under investigation.

Van Wyk said a 42-year-old man, who he did not identify and who Daily Maverick understands to be Craig Stanfield, had been killed around 4.15pm. Police found his body lying on a Valhalla Park street.

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“Investigation on the scene indicates that the deceased and a friend were walking in Simon Street, Valhalla Park when two suspects ran towards them and randomly shot at them, fatally wounding the deceased. 

“The friend escaped unharmed,” Van Wyk said.

“The motive for this shooting incident is believed to be gang-related.” 

Daily Maverick understands that fighting between individuals tied to the 28s, and who may previously have been allies, could have played a role in the killing.

Van Wyk said three suspects were taken in for questioning. Two were discovered to have firearms and ammunition.

They were charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition and were expected to appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

“The possibility that they might be linked to the killing of the 42-year-old … forms part of ongoing investigation,” Van Wyk said.

Festive season fears

On the day Craig Stanfield was killed, there were shootings in Lavender Hill, another Cape Town suburb of which parts are gang hotspots.

IOL reported that two children, aged 13 and 17, were murdered in a drive-by shooting.

In another Lavender Hill incident, shots were fired, but no one was reported as wounded. Van Wyk confirmed the shooting incident and said when officers arrived, they saw residents assaulting a suspect.

Read more: Reality check – yes, Western Cape community safety MEC Anroux Marais, gang violence is out of control

Police intervened, while also confiscating a Norinco pistol and rounds of ammunition.

These latest incidents have further ignited fears about the safety of children who are on holiday and live in Western Cape suburbs where gangs are active.

There are concerns more children will be caught in crossfire as gangsters fight one another.

28s suspicions and multiple murders

Valhalla Park, where the shooting of Craig Stanfield took place, has previously been flagged as 28s gang turf.

A Western Cape High Court judgment from September 2020, referred to the suburb and Craig Stanfield.

It said he had faced accusations in connection with a June 2017 triple murder in the suburb of Bishop Lavis.

The judgment referred to the testimony of a police officer who had alleged that the 28s gang “has a number of leaders, including the Stanfield family who control the 28s in the Valhalla Park area”.

The judgment described Craig Stanfield as “the relative of the leader of the 28 gang in the Valhalla Park area”. It said, “Craig Stanfield is related to Ralph and Simon Stanfield.”

Simon was one of the two Stanfield cousins murdered last year.

He was killed in a shooting in the Cape Town suburb of Delft on 13 March 2023.

During a previous court appearance by Ralph Stanfield and Johnson, in the case for which they are now detained, an affidavit from investigating officer Lieutenant Colonel Christiaan van Renen, was read out.

It referred to Simon Stanfield.

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

Read more: Spate of shootings in Cape Town linked to political, gang and construction mafia elements

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.)

About five months later, Simon Stanfield was killed.

Like his cousins, Simon Stanfield was also the focus of police officers.

According to IOL, he was one of a group of 10 men arrested over the smashing of luxury cars at a dealership in the Cape Town suburb of Milnerton in February 2021. 

Charges against them were later dropped.

The Firm crops up

About eight months after Simon Stanfield was murdered, another of Ralph Stanfield’s cousins was shot.

Noor Stephanus was killed on 4 November last year in Valhalla Park – the same suburb where Craig Stanfield was shot dead on Tuesday.

Read more: Another cousin of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield murdered, this time while Stanfield in custody

Daily Maverick has reported that Stephanus was the son of Colin Stanfield.

Colin Stanfield was believed to have been the leader of the gang conglomerate The Firm before his death in 2004.

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

As for Colin Stanfield’s nephew Ralph Stanfield, in the case which he is now detained for, it previously emerged in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court that police alleged he headed The Firm.

The Stanfield cousin murders referred to here and up until this week can be condensed as follows:

• 13 March 2023 – Simon Stanfield was murdered in a shooting in Delft.


• 4 November 2023 – Noor Stephanus was fatally shot in Valhalla Park.


• 17 December 2024 – Craig Stanfield is murdered in a shooting in Valhalla Park.

Other killings

There have been other killings that appear to be linked to court matters in which Stanfield’s name has been key.

Rewind to about two weeks before the murder of Simon Stanfield last year, when Ernest McLaughlin was murdered (on 2 March 2023) in the Cape Town suburb of Belhar.

His name later surfaced in Van Renen’s affidavit used in the subsequent case against Stanfield.

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

It alleged that in December 2022 a witness heard Stanfield tell McLaughlin: “Ek wil hê julle moet [the complainant in the case against Stanfield] 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.

Read more: Cycle of killing — Rashied Staggie’s son murdered in Cape Town gang hotspot Manenberg

While that court case against Stanfield, Johnson and their co-accused has been developing this year, it emerged that Stanfield, with one of his fellow accused, Jonathan Cloete, had been charged in connection with the assassination of ex-Hard Livings gang boss Rashied Staggie.

Staggie was shot dead on 13 December 2019 in Salt River.

‘Construction mafia’ case

Stanfield’s name has also surfaced in another set of legal issues, and those have also been marred by a murder.

In September this year, former DA City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for human settlements Malusi Booi was arrested in a major investigation into an unlawful tender enterprise, involving about R1-billion, which the State alleged was headed by Johnson and Stanfield.

Read more: Accused in Booi and Stanfield R1-billion tenders case murdered two days after bail release

Among Booi’s nine co-accused in that case was Abdul Kader Davids.

On 20 September, two days after being released from custody on R250,000 bail in the Booi tender enterprise case, Davids was shot in the suburb of Mitchells Plain, where he died on the pavement.

The motive for Davids’ murder was not immediately clear. DM