Three black books, allegedly containing financial records and instructions linked to payments, led to the police raid on the offices of Cape Town Mayoral Committee members JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg two weeks ago.

A News24 report says it has obtained two nearly identical affidavits authorising the searches in which 39 police officers were involved, 25 of whom were senior police officials.

The 72-page affidavit submitted to secure permission for the raid on Smith's office – submitted by Colonel Carel Lourens – the provincial commander of the Commercial Crime Unit, details the police inquiry and the events that led to the search. 

Detectives claim they found the books in a garage owned by alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson.

Despite the couple being in jail since September 2023, police only seized the ledgers a year later, in September 2024, after obtaining a search-and-seizure warrant for the garage in April 2024.

With police refusing to comment on the matter, the reason for the delay in seizing the books remains unclear. 

News24 says it understands that this time lapse is one of the reasons Smith and Limberg suspect they are being targeted in a smear campaign.

The two have previously claimed that sound recordings made available to them suggest collusion between senior politicians and SAPS members, allegedly to drag out a trial by media and damage their reputations.

Lourens states in the affidavit that the black books contain handwritten daily entries, including notes, communications, instructions to specific people, and records of payments – either made or reflected as paid – to several figures, including former Human Settlements Mayoral Committee member Malusi Booi, city employee Duke Gumede, Western Cape Government employee Mabushe Bosheman, and JP Smith.

The News24 report says the affidavit states that sworn statements and bank records reportedly confirm the accuracy of some of the payments.

While police acknowledge that they have not yet analysed all the data, they claim to have verified payments to Booi and Gumede, leading them to suspect that Smith also received funds, as his name appears in the ledgers.

Lourens states that – upon examining the books in November 2024 – he found multiple references to direct and indirect communication between Stanfield and an individual named JP Smith, as well as messages from Stanfield's associates to this Smith regarding payments.

Police believe this suggests that the ‘JP Smith’ mentioned in the books is the City of Cape Town's Mayoral Committee member for Safety & security.

The affidavit alludes to a police informant who further alleges that Smith was the beneficiary of payments made under Stanfield's instructions, using third-party bank accounts to conceal the transactions.

Police believe Limberg was the account holder who channelled the funds, an allegation she denies.

Full News24 report