Case against alleged hitman charged for murder, extortion & arson in Nyanga postponed

CAPE TOWN - An alleged hitman on the Western Cape police's most wanted list made an appearance in court on Tuesday for murder and extortion in the taxi industry.

Vuyolwethu Thukela faces various charges related to three incidents in Nyanga in 2024 and earlier this year.

The most wanted suspect evaded police for months after disappearing from Nyanga in February.

Thirty-eight-year-old Thukela, also known as 'Yesu', was arrested in Welkom on Friday.

He is charged for the murder of a taxi driver in Nyanga who refused to pay him extortion money.

"On the 18th of August 2024, while taxi drivers were having a meeting, the accused approached them and shot the deceased in front of eyewitnesses."

In another incident, Thukela allegedly threatened to kill another taxi driver for failing to pay protection fees in September last year.

Thukela also faces charges of attempted murder and arson for firing gunshots at patrollers after setting taxis alight at Nyanga taxi rank in February this year.

The matter was postponed to 24 June for a provisional bail hearing.