Prominent underworld figure Mark Lifman (57) was shot dead at the Garden Route Mall in George yesterday. It has been reported that Lifman was charged with the 2017 murder of Brian Wainstein. He was due to appear in the Western Cape High Court today for the Wainstein murder trial.

‘The circumstances of the incident is now the subject of a police investigation, and more information cannot be disclosed at this stage,’ said police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut.

The Knysna-Plett Herald reports that two suspects were arrested near Uniondale shortly after the murder. Lifman, who was planning to play golf at Fancourt was alone when he was shot.

‘People were running and lying flat on the ground when the car drove past to kill the white man. There was lots of screaming,’ a mall employee said.

News24 reports that he said Lifman was well-known in the area, frequenting the nearby Fancourt Golf Estate along with his security detail.

According to a Cape Argus source the hitmen were armed with assault rifles and opened fire as Lifman walked across the parking lot to his Ford Ranger bakkie.

'They were driving a white VW Golf with cloned number plates. He was walking and they went towards him and shot about five shots and he died on the scene. They raced off and cops became aware of the number plate and started tracking the vehicle. This is when they caught the two white males in Uniondale,' said the source.

Police have taken possession of video footage showing Lifman's final moments.

Several marked police cars were stationed outside Lifman’s Fresnaye home last night.

Full Knysna-Plett Herald report

Full News24 report

Full Cape Argus report