Man shot dead, execution style, near Teddy Mafia's home

A 52-year-old man was shot dead in an execution-style hit near the home of slain alleged drug kingpin Yaganathan Pillay, known as Teddy Mafia, on Monday.

Police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said the shooting occurred around midday.

“A case of murder is being investigated by Chatsworth SAPS. It is alleged today [Monday] at 12pm, a shooting occurred on Taurus Street in Shallcross where a 52-year-old man was fatally shot by unknown suspect.

“It is alleged that the victim alighted from his vehicle when another vehicle passed along and fired shots towards his head. He was declared dead at the scene. The matter is still under investigation.”

Pillay's brother, Ronnie, confirmed the incident happened on Taurus Street and said the victim is believed to have engaged in a conversation with the gunmen before being shot.

“It happened at the bottom of the road. I think this guy [the victim] knew these people because he was talking to them before they shot him,” he said.

Two weeks ago the police uncovered R200,000 worth of heroin at a storage facility they claimed belonged to Teddy Mafia. A joint operation between members of the Hawks' narcotics enforcement bureau in Durban, together with crime intelligence and metro police, led to the discovery of 10,700 capsules of heroin at the facility.

A 41-year-old man was arrested in the vicinity.

Pillay was gunned down at his home on January 4, setting in motion a sequence of gory events which saw his two alleged attackers shot, decapitated and burnt in full view of the public.

A week later a number of specialised policing units led a clandestine operation which uncovered drugs worth more than R100,000 near Pillay's home.

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