The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape confirmed on 3 August the arrest of a suspect sought for the murder of 37-year-old Toufeeq Williams in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. Williams was an officer attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) and was off duty when he was killed on 30 July in Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain.

Williams lived in Mitchell’s Plain but was stationed in Hanover Park. 

Police confirmed on Thursday a suspect was arrested in Grassy Park by local police. According to SAPS, the suspect is believed to be a gangster and was being harboured “by fellow gang members in the Grassy Park policing area”. Police were informed and through patrols, a 40-year-old suspect was arrested. Once charged, the suspect will appear in court in Mitchells Plain on a murder charge. 

SAPS said provincial commissioner, Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile congratulated the arresting officers on their “diligent” arrest of the officer’s alleged murderer. 

‘Gangster who ordered shooting must be arrested’

“I want the gang member who gave the order for the shooting to occur to also be arrested,” said Reagan Allen, the Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety after the news of the suspect’s arrest became public. “The Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca) should be duly applied…gangs add no value to our society, instead they bring heartache and misery,” he said. 

“I have vowed that we will leave no stone unturned in finding his killers,” said the MEC who visited the family after the killing. 

“I encourage witnesses to share their information with all law enforcement agencies, including SAPS so that a watertight case is presented in court,” said Allen. 

The City of Cape Town has offered a R100,000 reward for any information that leads to the capture or conviction of those responsible for the fatal shooting. 

News24 reported Williams was buried according to Muslim funeral rites on Tuesday. Journalists who gathered there were asked to leave so the family could mourn the private event.

This week, Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Norman Jantjies told Daily Maverick the officer had his daughter in his arms and just before the shooting, he placed her down. Jantijies added Williams’ killing was one of regular occurrences and community members are often in fear of being witnesses of such incidents. DM