Madlanga Commission Witness Gunned Down After Exposing Murder Conspiracy
Brakpan — Marius van der Merwe, a key witness in the Madlanga Commission investigating alleged criminality and corruption within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and EMPD, was shot dead outside his home in Brakpan on Friday night. The 41-year-old was assassinated less than three weeks after his testimony implicated senior police officers, including disgraced Ekurhuleni police chief Julius Mkhwanazi, in a dramatic murder cover-up plot.
Van der Merwe appeared before the commission anonymously as “Witness D” last month, detailing his role in the torture and subsequent death of an unnamed man in April 2022, and the disposal of the body. He voiced fears that if he did not comply with the conspiracy, his own life would be in danger. "I felt like I was being forced. At this stage, I felt that I was being outnumbered, as the decision was made already, and we are dealing with a very serious and dangerous situation at this stage already. So, I interpreted it as if I do not comply, then I would probably be next.”
The father-of-one was shot twice in the upper body by two men who had seemingly been lying in wait in roadside bushes on Gauld Street in Brenthurst. His silver hatchback was parked in the driveway of his house, with his body found next to the open driver's side door. His firearm was still holstered, and other valuables were left untouched in the car, suggesting the motive was not robbery.
It is understood that a woman, believed to be his wife, was in the car with him as they pulled into the driveway around 19:30. Two shots were fired, both striking Van der Merwe, according to police. Occupants inside the home confirmed hearing only two shots.
Acting Gauteng police commissioner Major-General Freddy Kekana, addressing the media at the scene, stated that SAPS in the province had not been approached with any concerns or requests to guard Van der Merwe. He added that the 2022 murder was under investigation by the Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID), with the lead detective on that case also present at the scene.
Kekana revealed that a network of cameras in Brakpan, equipped with automatic licence plate recognition, had logged a bakkie fleeing the area. Police have launched a manhunt and are currently tracing the vehicle.
Van der Merwe's testimony before the Madlanga Commission detailed a chilling account of the 2022 murder. He explained how he became involved after Kobus Janse van Rensburg, the owner of Ghostguard Security in Springs, requested his assistance in "knocking the house of a suspect, suspected of a warehouse invasion and robbery in Brakpan".
At the scene on Crocodile Road, Van der Merwe said the suspect admitted to involvement in the warehouse invasion and offered a R500,000 bribe. He claimed that two unknown men from Brakpan and a person named Pretorius then "pushed the man into the second bedroom and closed the door behind them".
Van der Merwe later found them "tubing" the suspect. "Tubing is where a plastic bag gets placed over a person’s head and that person gets suffocated to the point that he talks or cannot breathe… and then obviously we will – or they would – obviously then ask him to talk to us, obviously to avoid this from taking place again," he explained. During this process, the suspect died.
According to Van der Merwe, a person named Hanekom then told them that "the chief will come and sort out the issue," and Mkhwanazi arrived shortly afterwards. Van der Merwe claimed that Pretorius had warned him "that if anyone talks, he will go to prison for killing them".
After a private meeting, Mkhwanazi allegedly told the group that "we needed to throw the suspect’s body into a mineshaft or dump it into a dam," looking directly at Van der Merwe as he issued the instruction.
Mkhwanazi, who was questioned at the commission a day before Van der Merwe's murder, admitted to being at the 2022 murder scene but maintained his innocence, claiming he left after only a few minutes.
The murder of Van der Merwe has raised serious concerns about the safety and protection of witnesses testifying before the Madlanga Commission. Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels acknowledged Van der Merwe’s contribution toward uncovering serious allegations of criminality and corruption.
Public Interest South Africa’s Tebogo Khaas condemned the killing, stating that it highlighted the vulnerability of those who expose wrongdoing. “We have long known that whistleblowers in South Africa live at the mercy of ruthless networks. Since 2018, around 148 municipal workers alone have been murdered for exposing corruption," he said. "The killing of Witness D – the latest in an ever-growing list – confirms we are now in a full-blown crisis. While laws such as the Witness Protection Act 112 of 1998 symbolically exist, their implementation remains tragically hollow, leaving those who stand for justice exposed and vulnerable.”
It remains unclear whether Van der Merwe had requested or been offered witness protection.
Police have stated that national commissioner General Fannie Masemola will meet and brief Madlanga, discussing efforts to improve safety and security measures for all role-players at the commission of inquiry.
An IPID investigation into the actions of police officials involved in the 2022 murder has been ongoing since 2022, with Van der Merwe being a key witness in that case as well.
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