Alleged gang boss Ralph Stanfield and his wife, Nicole Johnson, who face various criminal charges, have been denied bail in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court.

The lives of witnesses will be in danger if alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield is released from custody, and if he and his wife, Nicole Johnson, are freed on bail, there is also a possibility they could break the conditions relating to that.

This testimony was heard in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court on Monday, when the couple's bail application, along with those of two co-accused, Denver Booysen and Johannes Abrahams, was denied. A third co-accused, Jose Brandt, also known as Makop, did not apply for bail.

Kept in custody

All five will remain behind bars until their next court appearance, set for 5 February.

Stanfield and Johnson have been detained for a month since their arrests at their home in Cape Town on 29 September.

The five face charges including motor vehicle theft, assault, attempted murder, robbery and fraud.

Johnson, though, has not been charged with a violent crime and, according to police, faces "dishonesty offences".

Both she and Stanfield have denied the accusations against them.

Magistrate Alida Theart said on Monday Stanfield in effect misled the court in that he said he was a business owner but did not provide any documents or evidence to back that...