Minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni says the public and media should not assume that the murder of Marius van der Merwe, who appeared asWitness Dat the Madlanga commission, was in any way linked to the inquiry. Van der Merwewas shot last Friday, and police have since taken in a person of interest for questioning. During his evidence at the commission, Van der Merwe said Julius Mkhwanazi, the suspended deputy police chief of the Ekurhuleni metro, ordered him to dispose of the body of a robbery suspect who had been murdered during an interrogation in Brakpan in 2022.
Briefing the media and the public on Wednesday, Ntshavheni said the police were investigating the matter and that there were a lot of assumptions around Van Der Merwe’s murder. “We do not know whether Witness D was killed because of the evidence he provided to the Madlanga commission,” she said. “The minister of justice and constitutional development has publicly clarified that the department of justice, which is responsible for witness protection, had offered Witness D protection services, and he declined such an offer.
“So, if witnesses decline offers, why should we criticise the witness protection services?” she asked. “Of course, the witness protection service will never be perfect, but it is a work in continuous improvement. As witnesses and threats are identified, the system has to be strengthened.
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We can never claim it is perfect, but it is a work in progress, learning lessons and improving over time,” Ntshavheni said. The department of justice, which is responsible for witness protection, had offered Witness D protection services, and he declined such an offer. On concerns about security at the Madlanga commission, she said the commission had already taken steps.
“The commission indicated that they have met and articulated interventions to strengthen their security measures. We will hear from the commission directly about the decisions they have made and whether assessments have revealed any weaknesses. If weaknesses exist, they will be addressed, but we leave that to the commission,” she said.
Ntshavheni also addressed claims that SA was a “mafia state”, urging caution in labelling institutions without considering the facts. “Why would SA be a mafia state? We often rush to label situations before considering the facts. The Madlanga commission exists because concerns were raised by [Lt-] Gen [Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi, and the president established the commission in response,” she said.
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