ACCUSED: Durban arms dealer Anderson Padayachee
Image: Armand Hough
The Durban arms dealer accused of illegally selling guns to Cape Flats gangs resulting in various murders had denied being the owner of the firearms saying he sold the guns to another arms dealer who is now dead.
The version of Anderson Padayachee was presented to Judge Daniel Thulare as he returned to the Western Cape High Court this week for the ongoing firearms trial.
Padayachee was thrust into the limelight in February 2021 when he was busted by the Hawks.
According to the indictment, Padayachee is now facing eight murder charges and five attempted murder charges where the firearms he allegedly supplied were used in gang wars.
The cases which are widespread across the Cape Flats include the murders of several men who were killed in gang shootings in various areas including Bonteheuwel, Kalksteenfontein and Lotus River among others.
The court papers allege that Padayachee assisted the Terrible Josters in the period between August 2017 and May 2019.
While Padayachee was not identified as the actual shooter in the murder cases the state contends that as he sold the guns illegally he should be found guilty of murder.
On Monday the state led two witnesses who described the events surrounding the murders which are dated back to July 2018.
Addressing the court his lawyer, Advocate Carlo Viljoen, said his client’s version is that the guns identified in the trial were not owned by Padayachee at the time.
He says Padayachee obtained a firearms trading permit in August 2017 and says in July 2018, when the first shooting is recorded, he had sold the guns to Michael Erasmus of Southern Sky dealership.
Padayachee claims the arsenal of weapons came at a price tag of R161 000 but says Erasmus only paid R96 000 and an agreement was made to pay off the outstanding funds.
He claims Erasmus had failed to pay him and he subsequently issued a letter of demand to Erasmus and his business partner Andy Jones.
In a twist he says Erasmus committed suicide and Jones disappeared.
Padayachee's lawyer, Viljoen, told the court: "He was supposed to pay, but never paid the outstanding amount. After several attempts he was sent a lawyers letter but Erasmus committed suicide and Jones disappeared. He later reported a criminal case of theft under false pretenses."
The case number read into the record shows Padayachee only reported the criminal case in 2019.
This version comes months after a Laingsburg cop lifted the lid on the links between popular TikTokker Suhail Mohamed, 34, aka Mr Zulu and Padayachee, saying Mohamed was present during a gun bust in 2018.
In his testimony the cop revealed that he stopped Padayachee for speeding in June 2018, a month before the shootings, near Touws River and made a discovery of 17 more firearms and 24 magazines in the boot of his car as he travelled to Cape Town.
It is understood that Padayachee who was travelling with Mohamed was let go after showing cops that he was a legal arms dealer.
Mohamed’s links to the Terrible Josters were revealed last year when he was shot in front of the slain alleged gang boss, Peter Jaggers’ house, in Netreg.
He was reportedly standing outside a white Range Rover when he was attacked by unknown gunmen and rushed to hospital.
After the death of Jaggers, who had allegedly been kidnapped and murdered by a Colombian cartel, Mohamed posted a picture with the deceased and said: “My brother and friend, until we meet again.”
The trial will continue next month.