Slain whistle-blower may have known his killers

“NONE of us saw this coming. We thought now that he had concluded his evidence before the Commission, he was no longer in direct danger and that the next step would be to testify later in court.”

That is how Jacques Vorster, the friend of slain Madlanga Commission of Inquiry witness Marius van der Merwe reflected on his assassination on Friday.

Van der Merwe, identified as Witness D at the commission, was killed outside his Brakpan home. CCTV footage shows him talking to and attempting to draw his own weapon before he was shot multiple times in full view of his family.

Van der Merwe gave testimony before the Commission about the torture and interrogation of a Mozambican suspect at an unofficial site in Brakpan.

He alleged that a group of Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) officers with private security had been involved in the death of the man using methods, including tubing, regarded as torture and Van der Merwe said he was forced to dump the body into a dam.

Vorster, an EMPD Superintendent said on Sunday his good friend died with a lighter heart because he felt guilty about his role in dumping the body of a suspect in a dam, and he wanted to get it off his chest.

Vorster broke down in tears speaking about Van der Merwe’s assassination.

Van der Merwe always felt guilty about the suspect’s death and his role in disposing of the body.

Vorster said, shortly after he was ordered to dispose of a body in Spaarwater Dam, he told the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) as well as the police about what happened but not much came of this.

Vorster and Van der Merwe knew each other for several months as they worked together to chase the Zama Zamas from Plastic City, an unregistered squatter camp in Brakpan.

Vorster said he and Van der Merwe, the owner of a security company, worked day and night together to get rid of the illegal miners. "We were relatively tight, and he did not have a scared bone in his body.”

According to Vorster, Van der Merwe spoke to him about giving evidence before the Madlanga Commission, but he only told his friend what needed to be said. “He took things as they came. He knew his life was in danger, but Marius was a courageous person. He was also a person who knew what is right and what is wrong. And he knew it was right to confess all before the Commission, and he dearly wanted to do this".

Vorster said that from the day he was forced to dump the body, his friend played open cards about his involvement.

“It had bothered him, and he had sleepless nights about his involvement. He felt guilty that he could not do more to save the man’s life. But he was not in a position to do anything, else he would have also ended in the dam".

Van der Merwe told him that he had participated under duress, but he had to do it as he had no choice. “But he got it off his chest before the Commission, in which he dearly believed. He believed that now, after all these years, eventually something will be done.”

Van der Merwe knew his life could be at stake. Although he testified under the name of Witness D, there were so many people involved, and they could also identify his voice. “He knew it was his duty because what had happened was against his religious beliefs. Unfortunately, it did not end well for him, but he felt better for it.”

He suspected that Van der Merwe knew that something would happen to him. There are also suspicions that he knew his attackers as CCTV footage showed him talking to people outside his home seconds before he was killed. “It can be seen that he reached for his gun, but it was too late.”

Speaking about his friend’s death, Vorster said it is like losing a brother. “I am broken". He did not want to divulge much about Van der Merwe’s family, other than to say that they are struggling to cope with his death. His widow has always been behind him divulging the full truth and she knew he was living on the edge. They have two small sons.

"Those involved know who they are, and they know they will be going to hell. He will be deeply missed. He was such a good person who did a lot of good deeds for the community".

Vorster last spoke to his friend a few days before his death, discussing another Zama Zama operation.

“Now this will never happen".

Cape Times