CCTV Footage Shows Witness D Chatting with Killers Before Fatal Shooting

Witness D's Chilling Last Moments Revealed in CCTV Footage; President Condemns 'Hein­ous Act'

Brakpan – Marius van der Merwe, known as "Witness D" at the Madlanga Commission, was seen on CCTV footage conversing with his killers and attempting to draw his weapon moments before being fatally shot outside his Brakpan home last Friday. The footage has emerged as police intensify their investigation into the assassination, which has been met with widespread condemnation, including from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Van der Merwe, a former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) official and member of the Brakpan-based security industry, gave testimony before the Commission regarding the alleged torture and interrogation of a Mozambican suspect at an unofficial site in Brakpan. He claimed that a group of EMPD officers, along with private security personnel, were involved in the suspect's death, employing methods such as "tubing," which is considered torture. Van der Merwe testified that he was forced to dispose of the body in a dam.

President Ramaphosa has expressed his outrage and sadness at the murder, calling on law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the "hein­ous act."

"I am appalled and saddened by this attack on a former pub­lic ser­vant who recently served the cause of justice and integ­rity by testi­fy­ing at the Mad­langa Com­mis­sion," Ramaphosa said. "My thoughts are with the deeply trau­mat­ised fam­ily who came under attack last night. They faced death in cir­cumstances that sug­gest Van der Merwe’s brave testi­mony angered ele­ments in our soci­ety who want to under­mine the rule of law and set back the quest for truth and con­sequences in the fight against cor­rup­tion.”

The Madlanga Commission has also expressed its profound sadness at the "bru­tal killing" of Van der Merwe. Spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said in a statement, "(He con­tributed) towards uncov­er­ing ser­i­ous alleg­a­tions of crimin­al­ity and cor­rup­tion in the EMPD."

In response to the assassination, police have activated a NATJOINTS structure, the highest security structuring, which includes officers and intelligence officials at the most senior levels, to investigate Van der Merwe's murder.

EMPD Superintendent Jacques Vorster, a close friend of Van der Merwe, shared that his friend had been burdened by guilt over his role in disposing of the suspect's body and was determined to confess before the Madlanga Commission. Vorster, visibly emotional, said Van der Merwe "died with a lighter heart because he felt guilty about his role in dump­ing the body of a sus­pect in a dam, and he wanted to get it off his chest."

Vorster revealed that Van der Merwe had previously informed both Ipid and the police about the incident shortly after being ordered to dispose of the body in Spaarwater Dam, but no significant action was taken at the time.

Vorster and Van der Merwe had worked together for several months to combat illegal mining activities in Plastic City, an unregistered squatter camp in Brakpan. Vorster explained that they "worked day and night together to get rid of the illegal miners."

According to Vorster, Van der Merwe had discussed his upcoming testimony before the Madlanga Commission, and Vorster had simply encouraged him to speak the truth. "He took things as they came. He knew his life was in danger, but Marius was a cour­ageous per­son. He was also a per­son who knew what is right and what is wrong. And he knew it was right to con­fess all before the Com­mis­sion, and he dearly wanted to do this.”

Vorster further elaborated on the toll the incident had taken on Van der Merwe, stating that "from the day he was forced to dump the body of a Mozambican cit­izen into the dam, his friend played open cards about his involve­ment. It had bothered him, and he had sleep­less nights about his involve­ment. He felt guilty that he could not do more to save the man’s life. But he was not in a pos­i­tion to do any­thing, else he would have also ended in the dam.”

Van der Merwe was aware of the potential risks associated with his testimony. "He knew his life could be at stake. Although he test­i­fied under the name of Wit­ness D, there were so many people involved, and they could also identify his voice," Vorster explained. "He knew it was his duty because what had happened was against his reli­gious beliefs. Unfor­tu­nately, it did not end well for him, but he felt bet­ter for it.”

The CCTV footage suggests that Van der Merwe may have recognised his attackers. "There are also sus­pi­cions that he knew his attack­ers as CCTV foot­age showed him talk­ing to people out­side his home seconds before he was killed. It can be seen that he reached for his gun, but it was too late.”

Vorster expressed his profound grief at the loss of his friend, saying, "Speak­ing about his friend’s death, Vor­ster said it is like los­ing a brother. I am broken.” He added that Van der Merwe's family, including his wife and two young sons, are struggling to cope with the tragedy. "His wife has always been behind him divul­ging the full truth and she knew he was liv­ing on the edge."

Vorster concluded that he had spoken to Van der Merwe just days before his death about another operation targeting illegal miners. “Now this will never hap­pen.” He added, “None of us saw this com­ing. We thought now that he had con­cluded his evid­ence before the Com­mis­sion, he was no longer in dir­ect danger and that the next step would be to testify later in court. Those involved know who they are, and they know they will be going to hell. He will be deeply missed.”

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