The business dealings of slain ‘Steroid King’ Brian Wainstein have been laid bare at the Western Cape High Court as his former bodyguard took the stand on Wednesday.
The man, who is a State witness and who may not be named, told Judge Vincent Saldanha about the events which led up to Wainstein’s murder in August 2017.
He was testifying in the underworld murder trial of controversial businessman, Mark Lifman, and alleged Sexy Boys gang boss Jerome ‘Donkie’ Booysen.
The duo, along with several others, face a plethora of charges linked to alleged underworld battles for the control of Cape Town’s nightclub scene.
They have been charged with the murder of Wainstein who was gunned down in his larney Constantia home.
According to the State’s case, Wainstein and Lifman had allegedly clashed over property deals and a subsequent plan was hatched to have Wainstein murdered with the help of 27s gang members.
The witness told the court he was originally from Johannesburg and moved to Cape Town in 2015 to work with a relative, as he had found himself struggling financially.
He said he was introduced to Lifman’s co-accused, Sam Farquharson, who in turn introduced him to Wainstein, saying he needed protection and adding: “We knew there was a threat from Lifman.”
He said initially he worked as a security officer and personal bodyguard at Wainstein’s home in Constantia where he also guarded Wainstein’s girlfriend and minor daughter.
The witness said Wainstein, who was wanted by Interpol at the time, had “a reputation” which he was well aware of before agreeing to work with him.
He told the court of his former boss: “He was known as the Steroid King.”
He was initially paid R10 000 a month but said after a fallout with one of the dealers, he started assisting with the steroid smuggling operations.
The witness said Wainstein imported raw materials from Turkey, Greece and China and manufactured the steroids in South Africa where he also resold the items.
He claimed that Wainstein banked between R400 000 and R600 000 a month depending on sales and alluded to money being moved through a curio shop in Green Point and underground parking lots in the Cape Town CBD.
He said Wainstein’s business was valued at between R40 million and R50 million.
He said Wainstein’s steroids were “superior” and told the court that his former employer had planned to take over the local steroid industry.
The witness also told the court while smokkeling steroids for Wainstein, he was introduced to Donkie, Andre Naude and alleged 28s gang boss, Ralph Stanfield.