Wiandre Pretorius Was Allegedly Interviewed In Connection With a Murder Investigation

• Wiandre Pretorius was a person of interest in the Mbense murder and was taken in for questioning
• This comes after police move closer to arrests in the 2022 murder of Emmanuel Mbense
• Sources also indicated that investigators have made progress in the murder of van der Merwe

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

Police are moving closer to arrests in the 2022 murder of Emmanuel Mbense as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate has completed its investigation and handed the docket to the National Prosecuting Authority.

Eight suspects linked to the killing

IPID has identified eight suspects linked to the killing. Four people previously implicated are now dead. Wiandre Pretorius died by suicide after shooting himself. Another implicated individual, Marius van der Merwe, also known as Witness D, was shot dead in December 2025.

Read also

Witness implicated in Madlanga Commission: Wiandre Pretorius's tragic death under investigation

Sources said Pretorius was a person of interest in the Mbense murder and was taken in for questioning regarding Witness D's death. During that process, investigators seized, among other items, his cellphones. Last week, Pretorius reported an alleged attempt on his life after gunmen fired 16 shots at his vehicle outside his Boksburg home. He was not injured, and police are still investigating that case.

Pretorius, a former police reservist, reportedly argued with his partner, police sergeant Juan Mare Eksteen, before taking his own life. Eksteen was previously named at the Madlanga Commission in connection with the Brakpan case. Sources also indicated that investigators have made progress in the murder of van der Merwe and confirmed that Pretorius had been linked to that investigation. Police have opened an inquest docket into Pretorius' death. In December, journalists spoke to two people in the security industry who claimed there was a hit list linked to the case and said they feared for their lives.

Source: Briefly News