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The Enigmatic Life and Untimely End of Mark Lifman, Underworld Figure

Published November 06, 2024
3 months ago

The realm of Cape Town's underworld has long been steeped in tales of power, betrayal, and enigmatic figures. None has been more controversial than Mark Lifman, a name known to those who follow the intricacies of South Africa's criminal networks. Lifman's life, punctuated by allegations of being a murder mastermind and underworld connections, came to a halt when he was shot dead at the Garden Route Mall in George.





At 57, Lifman's existence was a tapestry woven with various business dealings and alleged criminal activities. A resident of Fresnaye, a suburb oozing affluence along the Atlantic Seaboard of Cape Town, Lifman was no stranger to the limelight. Often guarded by security, Lifman's death on a Sunday is wrapped in a shroud of mystery; he was without his usual protection when he fell victim to the bullets that ended his life.


The crime scene, a parking lot, was an unassuming end for a man accused of being behind some brazen criminal acts—most notably, the assassination of Brian Wainstein, dubbed the steroid king, in August 2017. Lifman was out on R100,000 bail for his involvement in Wainstein's murder at the time of his own death, highlighting the perilous tightrope of living within the criminal milieu.


Lifman was not only linked to murder. He dipped his toes in varied sectors, from the property market to fashion, horse racing, and private security. However, these legitimate fronts were allegedly a veil for deeper, more sinister operations, including orchestrating hits on gang leaders and surviving his criminal trials.


The broader tale unveils a fabric of alliances and divisions within Cape Town's underbelly. Lifman was a player in the so-called 'brotherhood,' a faction said to be at the helm of the nightclub and entertainment venue security scene. Yet, his affinity with this group soured, dragging more names into the fray, including the alleged mastermind of the opposition, Nafiz Modack.


Lifman's vulnerability had been showcased before, notably in 2005 with his arrest for sexual assault allegations, although he was acquitted in 2009. Yet his resilience was patent, maintaining his innocence and dodging convictions, as in 2015 when he was cleared of charges relating to running an illegal security operation.


The pall cast by Lifman's demise extends beyond his personal narrative, rippling through the very structures of Cape Town's underworld. Criminologist Simon Howell elucidates that Lifman's murder signals turbulence among the ranks of this shadowy domain.


In his final days, Lifman ensnared himself in litigation, pursuing a defamation claim against former Beerhouse owner Randolf Jorberg. It's an ironic endnote to his life story, one mired in accusations and court battles.


Now, as the alleged gunmen behind Lifman's murder await their fate, charged and requesting solitary confinement, questions loom over the legacy and vacuum left by Lifman's departure. With theories abounding and a trial stalled by his death, Lifman's life story, or at least its public chapters, are closed, with the subsequent tales left to unfold in courtrooms and the restless undercurrents of Cape Town's unseen streets.


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