Krejcir: Business as usual

by Angelique Serrao

Just who is Radovan Krejcir? Known as "Baas John" to his underlings, he arrived in South Africa in 2007 under a false passport. He was a fugitive, a powerful Czech multimillionaire, who escaped from prison on fraud charges and fled to the good life in the Seychelles. But a bid by the Czech Republic to have him extradited saw Krejcir coming to South Africa. He was arrested at the airport, but an alleged bribe kept him in the country. Within a few years Krejcir had amassed great wealth and his name began being associated with underworld gang members such as Cyril Beeka and Lolly Jackson. It was the murder of Lolly Jackson that brought Krejcir's name into the limelight and revealed his dealing with crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa and small time criminal George Louka. Over the next three years 10 more deaths took place, each one more dramatic than the next. He was also the victim of a bizarre James Bond style shoot out. His business Moneypoint exploded when a bomb left inside a bag blew up, killing two associates. Soon afterward Krejcir was arrested, but in true Krejcir fashion even a jail cell could not hold him down. Police foiled a plan to murder top cop Colonel Nkosana Ximba and forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan and to stop numerous escape attempts. He has been found guilty and sentenced for kidnapping, attempted murder and attempted drug possession. He also faces charges for the murder of Sam Issa, the conspiracy to murder investigators and the murder of Phumlani Ncube, a hit man-turned informant. But Krejcir reveals why we have not heard the last of the worst crime boss South Africa has ever seen.

314 pages, Paperback

Published November 18, 2016

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow...he really is a monster. When I look at his pic on the front cover I almost get a sense of looking at Zuma too. How do these tyrants become the men they do? I'm so glad someone put all the stories of Krejcir's reign of terror together in a book as you wouldn't believe it otherwise. Almost too much to take in. Good read. And to think it all happened here on the good 'ole East Rand!

[Sarah Key · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about having finished 'Krejcir - Business as Usual' is that I no longer have to have the antagonist's smug face following me around the house and sleeping beside me on the bedside table!

I live in Johannesburg and I make an effort to be aware of what goes on around me, as uncomfortable as this is. What a shocker, however, to learn the intimate details of thug life in Jozy through Angelique Serrao's meticulously researched expose. How difficult it is to face the extent of corruption and acknowledge just how fertile our soil is for violence and bribery.

Kerjcir and his associates, many criminals from Europe who fled facing justice in their own countries, are a conscienceless bunch. Presiding over his fifedom of Bedfordview, Krejcir believed he was untouchable and honestly the story unfolds like that of Mafia boss, John Gotti, known as the Teflon Don because charges just didn't stick. Indeed, in SA the truth is often more bizarre than fiction.

I salute journalists like Serrao in their tireless efforts to get the whole story out. It takes tenacity and guts. The fact that we allow into our country criminal psychopathic scum who murder, steal and corrupt our society from elite police task teams down leaves one feeling dry mouthed.

[Marco Gagiano · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into a dodgy international gangster and his nemesis, a vigilante detective called Paul O' Sullivan, while tying up a lot of loose ends of the South African/Johannesburg organised crime world and its links to corrupt policemen. One can almost read it as a sequel to Mariann Thamm's "To Catch a Cop".

The book contains lots of facts that tie back to newspaper reports and court documents, but it is sadly not very well written. The writing style improves in latter chapters but it is a bit unecessarily gory in places and contains too much presumptious armchair psychology around the main characters. Still a good read though and a must-read for South Africans.

[Marize De Klerk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Briliant. Lots of info and names but brilliantly written

[Vicky Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating man. This has kindled my interest in South African crime, because just this past weekend I was reading some newspaper reports about it. Someone argues that there are more people dying there than in any other country not at war. That's devastating if its true. This book suggests that there are reasons why that is happening. The law courts and the police are just not coping. Thjis is amazing information. Scary. Just like the inner cities of the US a couple of decades ago. I hope it all comes right in that poor country.

[Jeremiah Dube · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very scary. These thugs are al around us. It is a well-researched book and very interesting but hard to read, because of the depressing subject mater. It is depressing that such evil men exist in the world. Too many of them are active in South Africa.

[Geoffrey Abrams · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word, 'engaging!'