Anthony 'Tatu' Gounden was shot and killed.
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THREE years after his son was killed in a case of mistaken identity, Tatu gang leader Anthony Gounden was shot dead, allegedly by a rival gang from Wentworth.
Gounden, 47, of Verulam, was shot multiple times when two gunmen opened fire on him while he was seated in his minibus at the BP Garage, in Sibaya, in the early hours of Sunday.
In 2023, his son Antonio Jacob Gounden, 19, was shot and killed outside a bottle store in Oaklands.
Police sources and community leaders described Gounden as a ruthless gang leader who felt he was “god-like and untouchable”.
A source said it was alleged that a rival gang from Wentworth was responsible for the hit.
Gounden was due to appear in the Verulam Magistrate's Court next week for the start of his attempted murder trial.
He was arrested and charged for the brutal attack on an off-duty metro police officer on March 9, 2024.
Tatu gang boss, Anthony Gounden, 44, was killed when gunmen opened fire on him while he was seated in his minibus at the BP Garage near Sibaya.
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“It was alleged that Gounden’s security guards assaulted the police officer. He thought he was unstoppable because he had the police on his payroll,” the source claimed.
The source told the POST that police had been actively tracking Gounden for many years due to his involvement in the drug trade.
“He moved around with bodyguards, and he had police officers on his payroll. Sherwynn Ezra Chetty, a constable from Verulam, was allegedly caught transporting drugs for him and moonlighting as Gounden’s bodyguard. He was fired from the police.
“When a rival gang wanted to kill Gounden, he went into hiding. However, they killed his son to drive him out. He was shot afterwards, but survived. His friend was killed,” the source said.
Gounden’s niece Kimera Ramkumar told the POST on Monday that Gounden was not a gangster, and Tatu was a "pet name" given to him by his mother, Annie Gounden, 68.
She dismissed claims that her uncle – who had a string of charges to his name, including drug dealing, attempted murder of a police officer, fraud, defeating and obstructing the course of justice, and the unlawful possession of firearms – was a gang boss.
Ramkumar said despite the numerous charges against him, he was a "caretaker" of the community.
She said he owned Gadla VIP Protection Services, a car wash, and a bar and nightclub called Illusions in Verulam.
“There is no Tatu Gang, and my uncle was not a gang boss. He chose a way to make money in a way that was suitable for him. It gave him the lifestyle he wanted.
“He was a good person who used that money to uplift the community and take care of his family. He did many good things, and he should not be remembered only for the bad things,” said Ramkumar.
“He used that money for good. It is not fair to tarnish his name after he was killed just because he did things in the past, and there are charges against him. There is no need for people to bring us down, and wish ill upon us in our time of grief. People must have respect for the dead,” Ramkumar added.
She said there had been multiple attempts on Gounden’s life over the years, and claimed Antonio Jacob was killed in a case of mistaken identity.
“Antonio was targeted and killed in October 2023. He had just finished school. He was at the entrance of the bottle store in Oaklands when he was shot multiple times. The hit was not meant for him, but for my uncle, Anthony.
“The shooters mistook Antonio for Anthony because they looked alike. Anthony welcomed his second son into the world 10 months ago,” she added.
Ramkumar said Gounden’s family would rally to raise his son, whom he shared with his wife, Asanda. She said their family appealed to the public to let them mourn “in peace”.
“He was not ruthless. We had an idea of what he was doing, but we never felt as if he was a gang boss. He was everyone’s father, and we respected him. He made Verulam a better place by hosting feeding schemes, cleaning public spaces, and ensuring that elderly people were safe.
“We want to mourn in peace, without judgement and nasty comments from the public,” Ramkumar added.
A community leader in Verulam, who did not want to be named, claimed Gounden had a violent nature.
“People feared him because he intimidated them. He had a god complex, where he thought he was powerful. He used violence and intimidation to get people to ‘respect’ him.
“As he got away with his crimes, he believed he was unstoppable, and his businesses grew. The problem with gang leaders is that they do not realise there are always a bigger fish than them.
“The justice system needs to take control of the gang situation in Verulam so that nobody else fills this gap of drug dealing on the scale of the Tatu Gang.
“His teenage son suffered a violent death, and he had custom-made upholstery and wrappings on his vehicles bearing his son’s name and photographs. He also bought a soccer team and named it after his son.
“He did all this, instead of turning his life around, knowing that his son died because of his own deeds,” the source added.
Rachel Wilkin, spokesperson for the Verulam Community Police Forum, said the pattern of violent incidents linked to organised criminal activity was a serious concern in Verulam.
She said the Tatu Gang had tarnished the image of the Verulam SAPS due to allegations of police corruption.
“It is through swift, decisive and consistent law enforcement action that public confidence can be restored. When justice is delayed or perceived to be inconsistent, it creates space for criminal elements to operate with impunity, and for violence to be seen as an effective tool of influence.
“A clear and immediate consequence for violent criminal behaviour is one of the strongest deterrents. The consistent application of the law, without fear or favour, is essential in disrupting this cycle and reinforcing that violence will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
“Our justice system has an obligation to ensure that society remains governed by law and order, and not by violence and intimidation,” added Wilkin.
Gounden’s funeral will be held on Wednesday.