Police have arrested a suspect believed to be the gunman behind the murder of Marius van der Merwe, known as Witness D in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, in what investigators are calling a breakthrough in one of the country’s most high profile cases.
The arrest in Pretoria is the first by the specialised Task Team set up to probe cases linked to the inquiry. Acting on a presidential instruction, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola established the unit.
Police gathered ‘overwhelming evidence’
Police say that following an extensive investigation and gathering of what they describe as “overwhelming evidence,” they obtained a J50 arrest warrant earlier this week. Officers moved swiftly, apprehending the suspect on Saturday morning.
At the same time, investigators launched a search and seizure operation at multiple Johannesburg addresses linked to the suspect. They seized a vehicle believed to have been used in Van der Merwe’s murder.
The suspect is expected to appear before the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 16 March 2026.
Task Team praised
In a statement, General Masemola praised the Task Team for the speed with which they secured the breakthrough, saying its swift action demonstrated the seriousness with which the unit was treating cases linked to the inquiry.
Witness D presented key testimony at the Madlanga Commission before he was killed.
