The assassination of crime analyst Marius van der Merwe known publicly as “Witness D” at the Madlanga Commission has reignited concerns over South Africa’s ability to protect whistleblowers. Van der Merwe was shot dead outside his Brakpan home on Friday night.
Van der Merwe, a security professional, had implicated suspended Ekurhuleni deputy metro police chief Julius Mkhwanazi and several private security operatives in serious crimes, including robbery, torture and murder.
Specialised Security Services investigator Mike Bolhuis says the killing highlights a deeply flawed system that leaves whistleblowers exposed.
“The only way to fix this properly is to ensure that any information that could endanger the life of a witness or their family is kept strictly private and confidential,” Bolhuis said. “If the information is so sensitive that a person could be killed because of it as in this case every measure must be taken to protect them.”
He stressed that strict enforcement of witness confidentiality is essential. His comments echo those of Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who described it as “deeply troubling” that Van der Merwe’s identity had been revealed by members of the public and the media.
Bolhuis said responsible reporting is critical, warning that premature disclosure of identities or sensitive evidence can have fatal consequences.
He added that Van der Merwe’s testimony will play a key role in the investigation into his killing.
“There’s a lot of information already on record video, documents, everything he presented. His evidence is not lost,” Bolhuis said. “There are others involved too, and they all need to be brought in.”
Police have not yet confirmed any suspects, and the investigation into Van der Merwe’s murder is ongoing.