A Palestinian businessman with apparent ties to the Israeli underworld has been identified as the person who was fatally wounded by two gunmen on Bosmansdam Road earlier this week.
Also read: WC organised crime detectives investigate drive-by shooting
Shafiq Naser was driving in peak traffic close to his home in Sandrift, Milnerton, when the incident occurred.
His killing comes almost a year after his brother, Abdel Fattah Nassar, was shot dead in a gun battle near the V&A Waterfront.
Nassar is alleged to have been involved in the Israeli underworld.
According to reports, he sought refuge in Cape Town from the gangland killings in that country.
Also read: Cape Town lawyer among those killed in Gugulethu drive-by shooting
According to documents filed with the City council, Naser owned the Century City-based Naser Construction and had been involved in the construction of buildings in and around Cape Town.
The most recent murder occurred after South Africa was ranked seventh in the Global Organised Crime Index in the world and was a hotbed for organised criminal activities, including drug trafficking, cash-in-transit operations, poaching syndicates and robberies.
Mafia-style organisations that are well-armed and known for their high levels of violence are becoming more common, especially in important cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
On Wednesday, after the traffic lights on Freedom Way, close to the Sable Square shopping centre, two gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire at Naser as he was driving his Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV on Bosmansdam Road.
Speaking to IOL, eyewitnesses said that he tried to drive away but drove into oncoming traffic, hit a car and overturned.
Another witness said he couldn’t control the car, as shots were fired and he drove into a set of traffic lights and then hit a smaller Chevrolet Aveo and two bakkies.
Also read:
Picture: Alex Haney / Unsplash