Witness in Madlanga Commission Murder Cover-Up Shot Dead After Exposing Police Corruption
BRAKPAN – A key witness who testified before the Madlanga Commission, detailing allegations of a murder cover-up implicating a high-ranking police official, has been assassinated in Brakpan on Friday evening. The shooting occurred at approximately 8.30pm.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the death of "Witness D", who gave evidence before the commission in November.
The victim, Identified as Marius 'Vlam' van der Merwe had just arrived at his residence with his wife and children when their vehicle was ambushed by at least two armed men, who unleashed a barrage of gunfire. Fortunately, his wife and children escaped unharmed, according to a security source present at the scene.
Marius 'Vlam' van der Merwe., an employee of a private security firm, provided a detailed account to the Madlanga Commission of the events surrounding the death of a robbery suspect in Brakpan on 15 April 2022, and the subsequent alleged involvement of suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi in a cover-up.
In his testimony, Witness D stated that the law enforcement operation, which was initially intended to apprehend a robbery suspect, turned into a murder. He alleged that the suspect was tortured by repeatedly having a plastic bag held over his face until he could not breathe. The suspect, according to Witness D, admitted to involvement in a warehouse robbery and offered the officers R500,000 in cash as a bribe.
Witness D testified that after the R500,000 was mentioned, what started as an operation to recover the stolen property effectively turned into a robbery.
After the suspect had evidently died, Witness D testified that Jaco Hanekom, a supposed police informant, told them that “the chief will sort the issue”.
Witness D further testified that Mkhwanazi, allegedly summoned to the scene by Hanekom, arrived in the early hours of the morning, clad in a tracksuit. After conferring with the EMPD officers present, Mkhwanazi allegedly suggested that they "needed to throw the suspect’s body into a mine shaft or dump it into a dam".
Witness D told the commission: “It was quite clear at this stage that it was expected of me to dispose of the deceased’s body… I really didn’t have a chance to agree. 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’re dealing with a very serious and dangerous situation at this stage already. So I interpreted it as, if I don’t comply, then I would probably be next.”
He admitted to following instructions and accompanying an EMPD officer to a dam in Nigel, where the body was disposed of.
After the body was discovered by the police, Witness D said he was summoned to a meeting with the officers and officials involved, where Hanekom reassured everyone that "the chief (Mkhwanazi) will cover them".
Witness D's evidence also named several individuals allegedly involved in the incident, including police officers, private security personnel, EMPD officials, and Hanekom himself.
Mkhwanazi, who has also been accused of involvement in fitting vehicles belonging to tenderpreneur Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala with blue lights, began presenting his version of events to the commission on Thursday.
While Mkhwanazi confirmed that he went to Brakpan, he vehemently denied the allegations made by Witness D. He stated that he received a call from Hanekom between 2am and 3am, informing him of the recovery of stolen goods and requesting his presence in Brakpan.
Mkhwanazi testified that upon arriving at the property, he observed numerous marked and unmarked vehicles. He claimed to have spoken to Hanekom briefly, who failed to provide a clear answer regarding the recovered stolen stock.
According to Mkhwanazi, the conversation with Hanekom lasted no more than five minutes, after which he told Hanekom that he was “wasting my time” and left.
Mkhwanazi insisted that he did not enter the property, nor did he speak to anyone else at the scene to ascertain what was going on. He further stated that no one had ever “come and concluded we killed that person or there was an incident where people died”.
The Madlanga Commission is currently investigating allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption within the criminal justice system.
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