The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and other civil society organisations during a candlelight vigil honouring Marius van der Merwe, who was killed outside his Brakpan home on Sunday afternoon. A 24-year-old Brakpan resident, who worked with slain former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department officer Marius van der Merwe, described him as a legendary figure in the community. Van der Merwe was honoured with a candlelight vigil on Sunday, with the community still reeling afterwas shot multiple times in full view of his family outside their Brakpan home on Friday.
was shot multiple times in full view of his family outside their Brakpan home on Friday. Van der Merwe recently gave testimony before the Madlanga 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.
Van der Merwe, then an EMPD member, testified that he was instructed by EMPD head Julius Mkhwanazi to dispose of the body in Spaarwater Dam, adding that he eventually reported the crime to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), known as the Hawks, and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). Mkhwanazi denied any involvement during his own testimony at the Commission. The young CPF member, with the words “legend” written across his left shoulder, was emotional as he described his last conversation with Van der Merwe.
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“He was a hero and a legend of this community. He was a person who was always full of smiles and never looked down on anyone. He was always willing to lend a hand at any time of the day, as if he knew his day was going to be here.
He protected everyone, but unfortunately, he was not able to protect himself,’ the young man said, declining to be named. On Sunday, theAhmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF), Defend Our Democracy, and other civil society organisations hosted a candlelight vigil in Van der Merwe’s honour. Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF), Defend Our Democracy, and other civil society organisations hosted a candlelight vigil in Van der Merwe’s honour. Speaking on behalf of the foundation, Neeshan Bolton called for an end to corruption, saying that without corruption, there would be no targeting of whistle-blowers.
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