The guy fired the gun from the roof of the Madison Square building in Kaptein str. Hillbrow . They were apparently just fooling around and did not realise that it could hurt someone . It hit a spectator at Ellis Park Stadium . I was living on the 7th floor of the building at the time .Some brilliant forensics .

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Brilliant. Solid confirmation from someone who was actually there. Thanks.

@theawkwardobserver8757

Жыл бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway The guy who fired the shot did not even know that he hit someone . The ballistics identified the gun , and the gun was registered to the adress of the flat . When the cops asked him when last he fired the gun , he told them on the weekend , from the roof . The police new the gun was fired from a long distance , because it did not cause too much damage with respect to the caliber size , I think it was 357 or 45 . It was not the owner who fired the gun , but his friend . One of the two was called Jan .

@bjm4148

Жыл бұрын

Maximum range for s .38....about 1km

@theawkwardobserver8757

Жыл бұрын

@@Leec_1972 I am not sure about the exact sequence of events , but I do remember that , somehow , they traced the owner to his adress in our building . At which stage they did the ballistic test , I don't know . This all happened a long time ago , and I am trying to remember as best as I can .

@heinlangenhoven8354

Жыл бұрын

I know the policeman who did the calculations etc where the bullet came from his surname is Visser.

The guy who worked out the ballistics for the police was a chap called Bill Ritchie. He’s passed away quite a few years ago. He had a business making guns, and strangely enough, refurbishing old X ray units. I happened to rent one from him when I bought Jukskei Park Vet in 1995. It was ancient, but worked like a dream.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Wow! Thanks for the additional info, Jeremy.

@ruanniemann2604

Жыл бұрын

Uncle Bill put a 270 Ferlach barrel on my dad's old Mauser.

@John5209

Жыл бұрын

Bill was a remarkable man in Firearm and Shooting circles! His work would easily rival Purdy in Bond street, London, but for far less ££££'s

@ruanniemann2604

Жыл бұрын

@@John5209 his shop down in Florida was like Disneyland for people who were serious about firearms

@keithallen4389

Жыл бұрын

Bill was a remarkable man and gunsmith, often used by police as an expert witness. I hope his protege Vincent is still in the business.

Never even knew about this story. Thank you, Al.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Pleasure, Steven. I certainly enjoyed chasing the few details I could find.

Great retelling of an interesting crime case. I remember that case as there was serious doubt in many circles that a handgun could shoot that far. Some top marksmen quickly proved that they can! Today however, in the new "dispensation" where crime really pays big dividends, there is not a snowball's chance in Hell of this type of crime being solved. I must also commend you for your courage in driving around Hilbrow in these troubled times. In the 1980's it was such a cosmopolitan area! Sadly it is now a high rise slum.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. Cops' jobs have never been easy and I reckon the sheer weight of crime must also be very discouraging. It's sad to see Hillbrow so run down. Driving through was okay, but I did realise how much attention my old Toyota gets.

Another awesome and informative tale Al. I do hope that someone from the family makes contact. Now THAT would be a story. Thanks for keeping us, the faithful, informed, educated and entertained.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, David. Absolute pleasure. Thank you for your support.

I know about the matter and the investigating officer was a former colleague and the late Captain Deon Wessels from Brixton Murder & Robbery. In conjunction with the SAP Forensic Balistic department, they managed to solve the case. Deon passed on approximately 5 years ago. Great work

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Indeed. An incredible bit of police work. A comment on Facebook pointed out that the investigation in 1989 would have been done without modern computer assistance, which makes it even more impressive.

@Sajuuk

Жыл бұрын

I met the son of the man who fired the shot when I was living in Hillbrow in1989/1990 iirc. We stood in the very same building the shot was fired from. I thought it was weird at the time, now it's even weirder to see it brought up again in this video! I'm impressed you remember the relevant names from that time!

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

@@Sajuuk Wow! We keep getting comments that bring us closer to the event. I wish I could have interviewed you all.

@premierhoner614

Жыл бұрын

I remember this. It was told that a. 357 Magnum revolver was used. It was a very big story in the newspapers and radio... It was a first for South Africa... Thank you very much for all your postings and Incredible Interesting topics.. Be safe and God bless......

I was one year out of school (matriculated in 1988) and I can remember this case making headlines in Rapport etc when the case was supposedly solved.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. I appreciate a comment from someone who actually remembers the incident. I searched newspaper archives online for added info, but unfortunately, very little from that time has been made available online.

Love your stories.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

Absolutely fascinating. As a huge rugby fan, had no idea this happened. I was in the army that year. Another adventure thoroughly enjoyed. Oh, and kudos for gaining access to Emirates Park. More so, for having the stones to drive through Hillbrow. Be safe Mr Prodgers.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Hi Charlie, the stadium people do allow people on accompanied tours. They're friendly and professional... Hillbrow is beyond belief in some parts. Thanks as always for your kind comments. 🙏

@daveelliott2629

Жыл бұрын

I was in the army on the Swaziland boarder at that time to but did know about this shooting but what an intresting story because our police actually worked then and solved cases that the ANC government can only dream about today because they have dockets coming out of there ear's right now ..............

We Googled the 1989 mystery shooting & whoo whoo came across ur Site that covered tgis. 👏 Feels like yesterday...how times fly 😮

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Yep. Still sticks in the memory. Thanks for your comment.

The mother of the man that was injured in this shooting, was one of my typists at the Germiston SAP detective branch in the early 90s I cannot remember if her surname was also Du Plessis.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, I'm amazed by the number of surprising connections this episode is generating.

Al, the SAP Forensic department had this up on the entrance wall to their building in Pretoria.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Gavin. Someone mentioned that there is also a SAPS museum with more information. I would love to visit. Unfortunately, it usually takes an enormous amount of time and effort to get permission to visit any state premises.

Love this thx you

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

A few days back i thought about this and here it is now,I lived in Joubert Park at the time.Outstanding work by those cops,must have been Brixton Murder and Robbery.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

They certainly did an excellent job. Some discussion in these comments about who exactly was responsible.

I would try the police museum in Pretoria but speaking from memory I recall the .357 Mag round travelled over 2km. There is an even more remarkable story of a little girl who died in her bed on old year’s eve after a man fired a .375 H&H into the air as a celebration. From the deformity of the bullet and the angle of the holes in the roof and ceiling they worked out an angle and trajectory. Based on the calibre they worked out a distance. This all gave them an area. Footslogging took them to the last house in a row where the owner had such a rifle. Busted!

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the details about this other incident. It's been mentioned elsewhere in the comments, but not in the detail you provided. And sometimes the particulars of different events have been combined in the retelling to create something new.

I remember this incident was published in the Afrikaans, Sunday newspaper Rapport illustrations drawings were excellent great forensics

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Yep. And all done without today's sophisticated computer technology.

Seeing your Chanel for the first time. Have you done a story about the guy who called the SABC and promised them a scoop. He told them where to position their cameras and at exactly the time he jumped from the top floor of Ponte House. I was 15, saw it live , never forgot it. Damn.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Wow, that sounds like a harrowing experience. I hadn't heard of it until your comment.

@velaphitshabalala2912

Жыл бұрын

@Al Prodgers yeah, it was in the late 80s, the SABC should have a clip in their archives. Anyway keep up the good work, beautiful stories also enjoyed the one about that book place in town. I had vowed never to venture into town but because of you I will go.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

@@velaphitshabalala2912 There's a secure parking lot across the road. But, as always, take care.

Big ups to you. Beautiful Car Man🤝

Scary. .but true

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Real Twilight Zone stuff.

Brings back fond memories for me. That whole area is where I lived for a number of years, and yes gunshots especially at night was the norm. If you heard no gunshots? Then there was something wrong? We must remember? What goes up? Must come down? Including a bullet!

@JustOfftheHighway

2 ай бұрын

😜 Yep. Gravity never sleeps. Glad you enjoyed the episode.

I wasn't aware of this case. A similar one of which I don't know the location, was a bullet entering a house through the corrugated roof, many blocks away, and killed a person. Trajectory and more details were used to find the shooter. Could have been urban legend.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

A reliable source tells me you're right about the bullet through the roof. Different incident and a tragic result. Thanks for your comment.

@gavinspowart

Жыл бұрын

I remember reading about this. I vaguely remember that the firearm in that case was a Martini-Henry (antique) rifle.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

@@gavinspowart That must've been yet another incident.

@riaannagel7625

Жыл бұрын

I remember both incidents.....Thx 4 sharing

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

@@riaannagel7625 Pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed.

My mom told me this story today as it was someone whom she worked with who fired the shot. Its a wild story

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Yes, wild and crazy. Perhaps browse the earlier comments. Your mom might recognise some of the characters mentioned.

I remember very well however I forgot if they ever caught the culprit and whether he was serving a sentence.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Yes, the details were fuzzy, but the person who says he was the arresting officer has commented and filled in some points. If you scroll through the comments, you'll find his interesting contributions.

It was in 1992 when ny math teacher (Tembisa High school) told us about this shooting incident and how math and physics was applied to determine the original location of the bullet.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

That's an inspirational addition to the story!

I use to stay around the corner, Ponte Building, remember that days.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Yep. I used to run daily through that whole area. If I tried it now, I'd have to run a lot faster.

@markusmocke7371

Жыл бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway jip, , but you will get fit very fast.

Remember this like it was yesterday, I was 28....lived in Bez Valley at the time.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

I moved to Bez Valley about 3 years later. It was a good place to stay in those days.

@richardwebb9532

Жыл бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway 157 7th AVE Bez valley...(if I remember number correctly)

I was actually good friends with Johan' younger brother, Jooste. We lived in Elsburg at the time. Jooste sadly passed away in a car accident. I think it was a year before the shooting.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks. The comments on this video show how many people are connected by invisible threads. Fascinating.

The stupid thing was that these clowns had done it before and people reported it and nothing was done about it.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Didn't know that.

I remember being told about this as a child, i had heard it was intentional and from ponty, shows how the actual truth gets warped by the retelling over and over.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Yes, as far as I can tell, two stories have merged. Apparently there was another shooting from Ponti. As I heard it, the round injured someone when it entered through a roof. I'm not sure of the details, though.

"in those days the police liked a challenge", lol...

Next, you could make a video on the assassination of Johan Heyns.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestion, but that would be way out of my depth.

Maybe tell us about BOSS and Lang Hendrik van den Berg....

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

I suspect that whoever knows those stories won't be telling.

wow imagine saps of today trying to solve that .....

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

There are some dedicated cops, but I guess they're overwhelmed.

@VladimirTheInvincible

Жыл бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway Need more than just dedication . Some brain power is truly needed .

@jkmb5758

Жыл бұрын

Nowadays they wouldn't be able to solve the case of why their KFC fell through the bottom of their soggy takeaway bag.

Damn! The shooter was sharp!🤔

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Nope, he just fired randomly, forgetting that what goes up must come down somewhere.

Kudos to the police investigative team Now we can't even call our police "police"

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Still some dedicated and brave cops, but there are definitely problems in the system.

Investigator Frans Strydom investigate this

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for that added information.

Things were well managed then. Today the police are unable to find the people who murdered Kiernan "AKA" Forbes.

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Sadly it seems you are right.

police was still the best those days not like now

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

I'm sure there are good cops on the ground, but they seem demotivated.

@hendrikvanjaarsveldt8070

Жыл бұрын

@@JustOfftheHighway we are there and your right and the really good ones are kept out like myself

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Bad news for the whole country when that happens.

Do that now and you will never get any cloeure

@gayeinggs5179

Жыл бұрын

If that happens nothing will be done now they are. Useless ! I am waiting for contact with the police for my daughter who got raped never a word from them

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

I'm very sorry for the horrible crime that was committed against your daughter and for what you have had to endure.

Who framed roger rabbit?

@gerhardusvanderpoll

Жыл бұрын

Peter Pan of course..

Obviously someone had to get caught, so a forced confession doesn't seem that far fetched..

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Nope. There's never been any suggestion of that.

@wayneswanepoel4914

Жыл бұрын

They were caught two days after the shooting and pleaded guilty to it. I investigated the case and remained friends with the accused until their passing years later. Don’t think you know everything about the police in the past. Morons like you are what fucked this country up!!

I met the son of the man who fired the shot when I was living in Hillbrow in1989/1990 iirc. We stood in the very same building the shot was fired from. I thought it was weird at the time, now it's even weirder to see it brought up again in this video!

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

The more stories I research, the more I get that feeling of weirdness that we constantly brush up against history.

@Sajuuk

Жыл бұрын

It's weird to see things that happened in one's past described as history 😂

@JustOfftheHighway

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. A few years ago I met a UJ student who enjoyed a story I recounted from my own life, because she said she was interested in history. 😜