Hermanus Regional Court has sentenced two members of the Junior Mafia gang for the premeditated murder of abalone poacher Cameron Marc Padayachee, who was killed after refusing to pay extortion money. The attack, which took place on 21 December 2021 in Blompark, left Padayachee’s minor children traumatised as they witnessed the shooting.
Paul Adams, 33, and Ismail Khan, 25, were convicted of aiding and abetting gang activity and Padayachee’s murder. Adams was additionally convicted for illegal possession of abalone following an arrest in Grabouw on 15 September 2021. Both men entered plea and sentencing agreements with the State, admitting their roles in planning and executing the murder for the benefit of the gang.
According to the court record, Adams supplied a firearm to Khan and co-accused Renaldo van der Bergh, who carried out the shooting while Padayachee worked on a vehicle. Khan reportedly urged Van der Bergh to fire, shouting, “Dala what you must, maak die nommer vol.” Van der Bergh has previously been sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment for his role.
Adams received a combined sentence of 16 years’ direct imprisonment after accounting for concurrent sentences, while Khan was sentenced to 20 years, with five years suspended, for murder and gang membership. Both were declared unfit to possess firearms.
Regional court prosecutor Ilse Keyser highlighted the seriousness of the crimes, linking them to the growing problem of illegal abalone poaching and violent gang activity in the Western Cape. She emphasised that the murder was premeditated and intended to intimidate other poachers into paying extortion money.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv. Nicolette Bell, praised the investigation and prosecution team for ensuring justice was served. She said environmental crimes such as illegal abalone harvesting are often linked to organised crime, where gangs exploit weak regulations to profit through violence and intimidation.
Eric Ntabazalila of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape commented that the convictions send a clear message that criminal networks targeting poachers will face serious consequences.
The court also noted the severe impact on Padayachee’s children, who were present during the shooting and narrowly escaped harm. Prosecutors described the incident as a stark example of how organised crime exploits vulnerable individuals while disregarding human life.
The case underscores ongoing challenges in combating organised crime linked to environmental offences, and authorities continue to monitor gang-related activities in the abalone poaching sector to prevent further violent crimes.
