Valhalla Park, South Africa – Craig “Zebo” Stanfield, aged 42, was tragically shot and killed in Valhalla Park shortly after 4 p.m. on Tuesday, just hours following his release from prison. The incident marks the latest in a series of violent events affecting the Stanfield family.
According to a source from the Cape Argus, Craig was targeted by rival gang members upon his release. The source detailed the circumstances leading up to the attack:
“Craig came out of (prison) that morning. He was facing attempted murder charges but the complainant withdrew the charges against him and he was released.
“He was walking with a friend when two members of the Rude Boys started shooting at them and his friend ran away.
“One of the shooters came close to him and shot him several times and he died on the scene. He is also one of the (high-ranking members) of the Firm Gang and is the cousin of Ralph,”
A spokesperson for the South African Police Service, FC van Wyk, confirmed that the motive behind the shooting appears to be gang-related. The authorities have apprehended three suspects in connection with the case for further questioning.
“Detectives attached to our Provincial Detectives Serious and Violent Crime Investigation Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident. They have meanwhile taken in three suspects for questioning of which two were found in possession of firearms and ammunition,”
Van Wyk added that two of the suspects have been formally charged with the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. These individuals are scheduled to appear before the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court later today.
The killing of Craig Stanfield is the third within the Stanfield family over the past year. On March 13, 2023, Simon Stanfield was gunned down in Delft while inside his Volkswagen Polo, just two days following the burial of Ernest McLaughan, another alleged member of the 28s gang, who was killed in Belhar on March 2, 2023.
Further compounding the family’s ordeal, Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson, were arrested six months after Craig’s death. They face attempted murder charges related to an alleged manhunt for a former employee accused of stealing R1 million on behalf of the couple. Additionally, Ralph’s cousin, Mogamat Noor Stanfield, was shot and killed on November 4, 2023. The funeral drew a large crowd on Angela Road shortly after 1 p.m., where mourners sought to pay their respects to the 41-year-old, who was also the son of Colin Stanfield.
A source familiar with the situation stated,
“Next to Ralph, he is one of the most high-ranking members and the only other person who would have outranked him is Bal [Johannes Abrahams],”
highlighting Craig’s significant position within the Firm Gang.
