The Intricate Underworld Web: Gavric’s Associations and the Murder of Cyril Beeka

The dark underbelly of South Africa’s criminal world has come to the forefront with the court revelations centering around Serbian fugitive Dobrosav Gavric. During a bail hearing, Hawks investigator Paul Hendrikse unveiled Gavric's connections to local underworld figures, creating a narrative that reads like a crime thriller.

Gavric, a convicted assassin on the run since 2006 after the high-profile assassination of Serbian warlord Zeljko Raznatovi, found himself at the intersection of a local nexus of criminal activity. His web of connections includes the likes of Radovan Krejcir, a Czech fugitive; alleged former Sexy Boys leader Jerome "Donkey" Booysen; and Mark Lifman, Booysen’s business associate.

At the heart of the controversy was Gavric's role as the driver for mob boss Cyril Beeka—a strong underworld figure with extensive involvement in nightclub security—during Beeka's assassination in a drive-by shooting in March the previous year. It was after this violent incident that Gavric's true identity, overshadowed by the alias of Bosnian Sasa Kovaevi, was revealed.

The revelations in court suggest a scene pulled from the grittiest of crime novels. Gavric, once identified, faced an extradition application from Serbia, leading to his arrest post-Christmas and his consequent application for refugee status in South Africa. His alleged associations with Krejcir and Booysen, depicted by testimonies, depict a narrative of clandestine meetings, shared rugby matches from a box owned by Lifman, and common attendance at city nightclubs.

However, Gavric’s counsel, Peter Mihalik, alongside representatives for Lifman and Booysen, firmly refute the associations as vilifying and unfounded. The crosses and double-crosses of testimony could tip the scales of Gavric's fate as the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court deliberated on his bail. The potential for a lengthy extradition proceeding lingered, flavored by Hendrikse's claims of Gavric also facing drug possession, falsification of documents, and immigration law violations.

The enigmatic figure of Cyril Beeka—whose preeminence in Cape Town's nightclub security was a known quantity—loomed over proceedings. His connection with Gavric, Lifman, and Booysen, coupled with the alleged weakening of his influence in the months leading to his death, fuels speculation of power vacuums and ensuing struggles within the criminal underworld.

Lifman and Booysen's history of financial dealings—owning a significant number of properties across Cape Town and having a contentious history with the implication of forceful rent collections—hint at multi-layered business operations. Lifman's past ties with Yuri "The Russian" Ulianitski and allegations of intimidating jockeys paint a picture of a figure with considerable reach. Despite acquittal from seedy accusations and maintaining interests in The Empire strip club, the shadows of Lifman’s past dealings follow closely.

Booysen's family history with the Sexy Boys gang, alongside the incarceration of his brother Michael for murder and Colin's recent release from prison, add to the tapestry of connections that extend to Gavric.

With Gavric being the sole eyewitness to Beeka's murder, his account of the day's events—from benign meetings to the barrage of gunfire—casts a pall over the interactions between these men. As the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court adjudicates Gavric’s bail amidst these complex layers of alliances and enmities, South Africa looks on, witnessing a chapter unravel in the country's ever-complicated crime saga.