Relatives and employees of alleged gang leader Ralph Stanfield claim their arrest by the Hawks, involving a R4.6 million cash seizure, has prevented them from securing government contracts.
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This allegation was made in the Bellville Magistrates’ Court on Friday, as Stanfield’s brother, Kyle, appeared alongside his mother-in-law, Barbara Johnson, and employees Suraya Manual and Nondabula Phakamisa on charges of defeating the ends of justice.
Kyle was arrested in April when police raided a Claremont flat and discovered R4.6 million in cash.
A week later, Johnson was arrested during a raid at her Mitchell’s Plain home, where police confiscated cellphones, hard drives, and computers allegedly linked to Glomix CC, a construction company owned by Stanfield’s wife, Nicole.
Court documents revealed that Kyle had allegedly been instructed by Stanfield, who is currently held in Brandvlei Prison, to remove items that police intended to seize.
Manual had worked as a freelance accountant for the couple, while Phakamisa is a quantity surveyor for Glomix CC. The group was released on R10 000 bail and returned to court on Friday.
Their lawyer, advocate Bruce Hendricks, urged the State to conclude its investigation, citing his clients’ financial losses.
The State prosecutor stated that detectives were still analysing over 22 000 files from the confiscated cellphones. Hendricks objected to the delay, noting that the investigation had already taken four months and was causing his clients financial hardship by preventing them from continuing their business and obtaining government contracts.
Evidence indicated that Glomix CC was blacklisted by the National Treasury months before the arrests.
An investigation by City of Cape Town manager Lungelo Mbandanzayo into gang extortion resulted in 12 companies associated with Nicole and Stanfield being blacklisted. Mbandanzayo revealed links between Human Settlements Department officials and companies run by Johnson or affiliated with her.
Following his report, the National Treasury barred Nicole and Glomix CC from applying for government work for ten years due to fraudulent B-BEE certificates.
Additionally, two more companies linked to Nicole were recently blacklisted for collusion in housing developments in Cape Town.
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Picture: Jaco Marais / Gallo Images