Masemola Says Police Close In On Witness D Killers: “We’ll Make Arrests, At The Right Time”

South African Police Service (SAPS) National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola says arrests will be made “at the right time” in the murder of Marius van der Merwe, also known as Witness D, who testified before the Madlanga commission of inquiry.

Van der Merwe was gunned down outside his Brakpan home earlier this month in a killing that has drawn national attention due to its apparent links to corruption allegations within law enforcement.

Madlanga Commission Witness Murder Under Active Investigation

Speaking to the media during an oversight visit at ongoing Safer Festive Season operations in Pretoria on Friday afternoon, Masemola said the investigation was progressing but remained complex.

“The investigation is still ongoing. There are more suspects who have been identified. It turns out to be quite a complicated case because it’s a case not solely about the matter of Van der Merwe. It links with other cases,” Masemola said.

Van der Merwe had previously appeared before the Madlanga commission, where he implicated suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi in alleged criminal activities.

Police Prioritise Solid Evidence Before Making Arrests

Masemola stressed that police were deliberately taking a careful approach to ensure that arrests were backed by strong evidence.

“We are working through it. We don’t want to arrest and investigate. We want to investigate and arrest,” he said.

“Unfortunately, there are complications, but we have got quite a number of people in scope — not three, more than that,” Masemola added.

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He confirmed that SAPS was working closely with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) as part of the investigation.

“At the right time, we together with Ipid will make the necessary arrest in that case,” he said.

CCTV Vehicle Match and Family Briefed on Progress

Masemola also revealed that a white Chevrolet bakkie discovered abandoned in Alexandra matched the description of a vehicle seen on CCTV footage on the night Van der Merwe was murdered.

Last week, the national commissioner met with the investigating team before briefing the Van der Merwe family on developments in the case.

Van der Merwe’s funeral took place on Wednesday at Medley House in Brakpan, as calls continue for justice in the high-profile killing.

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