Man Accused of Killing Marius Van Der Merwe Makes First Appearance Before Brakpan Magistrate’s Court
- Matiphandile Sotheni, the man arrested in connection with the murder of Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, appeared in court
- Sotheni, a former Special Task Force member, faces numerous charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and murder
- Brigadier Athlenda Mathe explained what happened on the night that van der Merwe was assassinated outside his home in Brakpan
Source: UGC
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
GAUTENG – The man accused of murdering Marius van der Merwe has made his first appearance before the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court.
Van der Merwe, also known as the Madlanga Commission’s Witness D, was gunned down outside his home in Brakpan on 5 December 2026. He was assassinated a few months after he testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where he testified about corruption within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and the suspended Deputy Chief of Police, Commissioner Julius Doctor Mkhwanazi.
On Saturday, 14 March 2026, a specialised task team within the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested 41-year-old Matiphandile Sotheni in Johannesburg for the murder.
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Sotheni makes his first appearance in court
On Monday, 16 March 2026, Sotheni made his first appearance before the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court. The prosecutor indicated that the matter was a Schedule 6 offence and that he would be charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder, as well as three cases of attempted murder, and possession of illegal ammunition.
His matter was postponed to 25 March 2026 for the official bail application.
Speaking outside the courtroom, National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, confirmed that Sotheni was a former member of the South African Police Service. Brigadier Mathe stated that he was a member of the elite Special Task Force before resigning to work in the private sector.
Source: Twitter
Brigadier Mathe provides more details about the murder
Discussing the arrest of Sotheni, Brigadier Mathe said he was a former member of the South African Police Service, joining in 2005. In 2010, he joined the elite Special Task Force and resigned in 2019, when he went into the private sector.
Brigadier Mathe also said that according to investigations conducted by the newly formed Madlanga Task Team, Sotheni had been following van der Merwe since his testimony.
On the evening of the murder, he was travelling in a vehicle with Wiandre Pretorius when they approached van der Merwe. Pretorious recently killed himself after he was linked to the murder. Brigadier Mathe said that Sotheni shot Witness D from the vehicle, and given his training as a Special Task Force member, only he could have pulled it off.
The men then fled in the Suzuki Swift they were travelling in, which allegedly belongs to Sotheni’s girlfriend. The gun used to commit the murder is still missing, but police confirmed that Sotheni was found with several rounds of ammunition on the day of his arrest.
Brigadier Mather also confirmed that Sotheni was recently employed as a bodyguard for a prominent family in Houghton Estate, but police believe he was hired to kill Witness D as a side job, due to his skills and experience as an expert marksman.
What you need to know about van der Merwe's murder
- President Cyril Ramaphosa promised more security for witnesses and whistleblowers following van der Merwe's murder.
- Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi distanced himself from the murder of van der Merwe, claiming that he did not know him personally.
- Police found a bakkie abandoned in Alexandra, which they believed was used in the commission of van der Merwe’s murder.
- Police had taken in a person of interest for questioning in relation to van der Merwe's murder.
- Van Der Merwe’s sister told eNCA that he hid details about his work to protect his family after receiving numerous threats.
Minister in the Presidency says van der Merwe rejected protection offer
Briefly News reported that Khumbudzo Ntshavheni spoke out in support of the government’s witness protection programme.
The Minister in the Presidency made the comments after the brutal murder of Marius van der Merwe, also known as Witness D.
She explained that the Department of Justice had offered protection to Witness D, but he had declined the offer.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
