‘We must find the perpetrators of this heinous crime’: Ramaphosa slams killing of Witness D, demands full probe

President Cyril Ramaphosa has doubled down on his remarks over the murder of Marius van der Merwe, known as Witness D, describing the killing as “heinous” and insisting investigators uncover exactly what happened.

“The killing of Witness D, Mr Van der Merwe as we have now come to know, is terribly, terribly unacceptable,” Ramaphosa said on Saturday on the sidelines of COSATU’s 40th anniversary event in Dobsonville, Soweto.

“We are devastated by his killing, and I’ve said to the minister they must make sure that the investigation is thorough.”

“They must leave no stone unturned until we find the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” he added.

Ramaphosa, who was at the event in his capacity as ANC president warned that the killing of witnesses who expose wrongdoing within the security cluster threatens to deter others from coming forward.

“It’s not acceptable that witnesses who are unravelling things and revealing the rot that has been prevalent in our security cluster are now, as they tell the truth, getting killed themselves,” he said. 

“We must now focus on witness protection. The witness protection programme must be taken to a higher level, and I want the results of this investigation as quickly as possible. We cannot allow this level of lawlessness, particularly in the security cluster, to continue.”

Ramaphosa said findings of the Madlanga Commission would be fully implemented. 

“It is through what is being revealed in the Madlanga Commission that we will be able to get to the bottom of the capture of the police that has been going on for quite a long time,” he said.

Van der Merwe, 41, was shot dead outside his Brakpan, Gauteng, home on Friday evening in front of his wife and children. 

Police said an AK-47 automatic rifle was used in the attack. 

The suspects fled in a white Nissan NP200 bakkie with a canopy, and a manhunt is under way.

Police confirmed Van der Merwe was not under witness protection despite his testimony last month relating to a 2022 incident at the heart of his appearance before the commission.

Known as “the man with the bakkie”, Van der Merwe told the commission in November that suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) acting chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi had allegedly instructed him to dispose of the body of a suspect killed by EMPD officers in an attempted cover-up.

In partially in-camera testimony last month, he described arriving at a scene where EMPD officers linked to Mkhwanazi, two SAPS members, and alleged SAPS informant Jaco Hanekom were present. He recounted how the suspect was suffocated in a bedroom.

Earlier on Saturday, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed that Van der Merwe had declined a formal offer of witness protection from the Madlanga Commission, saying he believed his private security company could protect him.

“He was offered protection, which he declined,” Kubayi said during a media briefing. “He didn’t think he needed it, and he runs his own security company.”

Kubayi said the government is now urgently reassessing how witnesses are identified, protected and allowed to testify. She criticised the breakdown in anonymity that allowed the public and media to identify Van der Merwe.

“We are deeply concerned that his identity became known,” she said. 

“If transparency supersedes protection, we will not achieve witness safety in this country. Our fight against corruption and organised crime will be compromised.”

The commission had initially planned to hear sensitive testimony in camera but reversed the decision after legal threats from media organisations. 

Kubayi urged the public and press to recognise the gravity of the risk to witnesses.

“Public interest can never come above the right to life,” she said. “We must review how testimony is handled to ensure no other witness is exposed.”

Ramaphosa previously expressed condolences to Van der Merwe’s family, praising his courage and pledging stronger safeguards for whistle-blowers.

“We will redouble our efforts to protect witnesses before the Madlanga Commission and the commission itself,” he said.

The commission of inquiry has also condemned the killing and extended its condolences to the Van der Merwe family.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

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