SOUTH Africa's simmering shark's fin war first surfaced about three years ago when Chinese gangs started battling for control of the market, extorting and attacking Asian businessmen. It has continued on and off since then.
May 1991, a Chinese restaurant owner, Yu Shan-tai, from Cape Town and his 11-year-old son, Tony, were kidnapped and beaten by a six-strong Chinese gang from Johannesburg who tried to force him to withdraw 600,000 rand (HK$840,000). The alleged mastermind, Augustus Chu Ko-chang, disappeared after being granted bail.
June 5, 1991, Yang Yu-tu was ''executed'' in a Johannesburg restaurant and his body taken to a field and burnt. Jack Tseng Ku-shu was later charged with shooting him while two other men held a blanket over his head.
October 1991, an unidentified Chinese man was found floating face-down in the Black River with a crossbow bolt in his head.
December 16, 1991, the body of Chun Jen-chen, who had been shot in the head, was found next to the main airport road in Cape Town after a clash between the Table Mountain and K14 gangs.
December 1991, police discovered a $2.2 million cache of ivory and abalone in Johannesburg.