· Van der Merwe was shot dead outside his Brakpan home after testifying at the Madlanga commission about corruption and brutal police conduct.
· Government says he refused witness protection, while the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation warns his death shows how dangerous Ekurhuleni has become for whistle blowers.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation held a candle light vigil for Marius van der Merwe, who was known as Witness D at the Madlanga commission of inquiry.
Van der Merwe, a former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department officer, was shot dead on Friday night as he arrived home in Brakpan with his wife.
Authorities say two gunmen ambushed him as he opened his gate. He died on the scene.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said, Van der Merwe was offered witness protection after giving evidence about political interference in policing, but he turned it down because he believed he did not need it and ran his own security company.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said the killing shows that his testimony angered people who want to undermine the rule of law. He said the attack is a setback in the country’s fight against corruption.
“Amid this trauma we must remain resolute to end corruption and bring to justice those who have done wrong and are plotting to do more,” said Ramaphosa. He said the government will increase efforts to protect whistle blowers and witnesses appearing before the commission.
Neeshan Bolton from the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation told Scrolla.Africa that Van der Merwe exposed corruption and other wrongdoing inside the metro police. Bolton said Van der Merwe had also been active in tackling illegal mining, and either issue could be linked to his killing.
He said the murder follows the killings of Mpho Mafole and Babita Deokaran, who also exposed corruption in Ekurhuleni.
“This is beginning to show us that there is something extremely rotten in Ekurhuleni. When we link this with what happened at Tembisa Hospital, then there needs to be a spotlight on governance and policing issues there,” Bolton said.
Van der Merwe had told the Madlanga commission that in April 2022 he saw a civilian being suffocated with a plastic bag by metro police officers. He said the man died and officers then discussed how to hide the body.
He told the commission that when senior metro police boss Julius Mkhwanazi arrived, he said the body must be dumped in a river or mineshaft. Van der Merwe said he felt forced to take part and the body was put into his vehicle before being disposed of in a river.
Pictured above: Various civil society group members
Image source: Palesa Matlala
