Marius van der Merwe at the entrance to an illegal mine tunnel 10m from Snake Road in Benoni. Picture: Michel Bega It is only logical that when a witness who has given explosive evidence at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into police corruption, political interference and criminality in the judiciary is killed, the public concludes that this happened because of the evidence he gave. It is remarkable and deeply telling of the prevailing tolerance for unchecked crime in this country that some believe Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe’s death would be acceptable, so long as it was unrelated to his testimony before the Madlanga commission.
There is a noticeable eagerness to attribute his murder to the hazardous nature of his work with his security company, particularly his efforts to combat illegal mining. This narrative suggests that his involvement in such dangerous activities, rather than his role as Witness D at the commission, may have led to his death. Notably, Van der Merwe had already survived an assassination attempt in September, underscoring the risks he faced.
But this is where the logic falls apart. His involvement in the fight against illegal mining was also threatening to expose high-ranking politicians who are in cahoots with criminals to keep the criminal-infested and murderous zama zama industry operational. What he attempted to do at the commission he was also doing in the illegal mining industry, being a threat to lawlessness and criminality hiding in plain sight in suits and elegant dresses in the form of politicians and corrupt civil servants.
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The whole country watched in astonishment as the suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi sweated profusely and drank copious amounts of water as evidence leader advocate Mahlape Sello led him through his evidence. Van der Merwe had implicated Mkhwanazi in criminal acts. He testified that Mkhwanazi had issued an order to get rid of the body of a man who died after he was allegedly tortured during an interrogation.
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