Nearly R5-million cash, luxury watches seized as 28s gang boss accused Ralph Stanfield’s brother arrested

An organised crime investigation has resulted in the arrest of a brother of suspected 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield — and the confiscation of R4.6-million cash that police found inside a concealed storeroom in a Cape Town house.

On Monday, 29 April 2024, police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said a 34-year-old suspect was arrested at the weekend for defeating the ends of justice.

She did not name him.

Daily Maverick understands, though, that the suspect is Stanfield’s brother Kyle Stanfield.

He appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday and the case was reportedly postponed for a week.

Hidden cash and high-end watches

“With the investigation unfolding, the suspect was also charged with possession of presumably stolen property,” Potelwa said.

“The possibility of further charges added cannot be ruled out as the investigation gains momentum.”

During the weekend operation, police had searched a home in the Cape Town suburb of Claremont. Potelwa said, “The cash seized was found in a concealed storeroom safely stashed in travel cases with 16 prestigious high-end watches and empty 9mm pistol cases.”

The origin of the money and other seized items was under investigation.

Potelwa added that the Claremont home that was searched was “linked to a suspect currently in custody for other serious offences emanating from ongoing major investigations”.

Detained

Daily Maverick understands this to be a reference to Stanfield, who together with his wife Nicole Johnson, is in custody.

Johnson and Stanfield have been behind bars (despite attempts to be released on bail) since they were arrested in their home in the upmarket suburb of Constantia in September last year.

They faced charges relating to a vehicle theft, and in Stanfield’s case, of attempted murder.

That matter, which involves three other accused, is expected to resume in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court next month.

The couple, meanwhile, faces other problems.

Blacklisted

Daily Maverick reported in early April that National Treasury had restricted Johnson’s company Glomix House Brokers for 10 years, meaning it may not do business with government for a decade.

Glomix previously had intermittently for years been involved in housing projects in Cape Town worth millions of rands.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Glomix ban — Treasury blacklists 28s gang case accused Nicole Johnson’s company for 10 years

But in December the City of Cape Town confirmed it had blacklisted seven companies linked to Johnson “based on the risk they pose to the city’s reputation”.

It did not name the seven companies.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Risky business — City of Cape Town blacklists companies linked to 28s gang case accused Nicole Johnson

That same month that the blacklistings were confirmed, the Special Investigating Unit named Stanfield and Johnson in a statement about construction mafia crimes.

It had said their arrests were “notable”.

“Several Cape Town construction contractors had to abandon government housing construction sites following alleged acts of intimidation and violence,” that statement said.

“Thereafter, the Western Cape Government’s human settlements department awarded Johnson’s company, Glomix House Brokers, the contracts for completing these abandoned projects.”

Guns case

Aside from the criminal accusations Stanfield and Johnson face in connection with their arrests in September last year, they are also accused in another case.

It links to 2014 when they were arrested in connection with allegations that officers at the South African Police Service’s Central Firearm Registry had created fraudulent firearm licences for them and others.

Among those charged in the case were three (now former) police members — Priscilla Mangyani, Billy April and Mary Cartwright.

Kyle Stanfield, based on a charge sheet in the case, is also an accused in that matter. DM