Who Is Matipandile Sotheni? Ex-SAPS Task Force Member Named in Witness D Murder Case

• Former South African Police Service Special Task Force member Matipandile Sotheni has been named as the suspect in the murder of Marius van der Merwe
• Prosecutors say his elite tactical training made him suited for the alleged drive-by shooting
• Sotheni previously lost a labour dispute with the South African Police Service over a scarce skills allowance while in the Special Task Force

GAUTENG —The man accused of killing “Witness D” in the high-profile murder case of Marius van der Merwe has been identified as 41-year-old former police officer Matipandile Sotheni

Sotheni's background in the elite police unit and previous legal fights with SAPS are now back in the spotlight.

Career in the Special Forces

According to reports, Sotheni joined the police’s Special Task Force, one of the country’s most specialised tactical units, in 2010.

Sotheni later alleged that his relationship with the unit’s leadership deteriorated because he acted as a union representative. According to his claims, he was pushed out of the unit and bullied by the head of the Special Task Force for challenging management.

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He resigned from the South African Police Service in 2019. In interviews and reports at the time, he said the pressure within the unit eventually forced him to leave.

Following his resignation, Sotheni reportedly worked in the private security industry. He is said to have taken up work as a bodyguard for a prominent family in Houghton before later doing additional security work for one of the family’s associates

In addition to his work in the security industry, he was notably involved in a lengthy legal dispute with the police over the payment of a “scarce skills allowance” awarded to specialised operators.

Labour Court battle over police allowance

Court records show that Matipandile Sotheni was previously involved in a lengthy labour dispute with the South African Police Service over a scarce skills allowance paid to members of the elite Special Task Force.

Sotheni argued that he should receive the allowance from 2010, when he joined the unit, rather than from 2012, when he received his operator’s badge. An arbitrator initially ruled in his favour, finding the police had acted inconsistently because other members had received backdated payments.

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However, in a 2020 ruling, the Labour Court of South Africa overturned that decision. Acting Judge S Snyman found that the police policy clearly required members to obtain an operator’s badge before qualifying for the allowance.

The court ruled that earlier backdated payments to other officers were administrative errors and did not create a right for Sotheni to receive the same benefit. The judgment concluded that SAPS had not committed an unfair labour practice.

Family history in policing

Crime journalist Yusuf Abramjee posted on his X account that Sotheni also has deep roots in policing. His father reportedly served in the former Transkei Police for around 50 years, influencing his decision to pursue a career in law enforcement.

His name previously appeared in local news in 2017 after a bus caught fire in Pretoria, damaging his car while he was away meeting an attorney.

Alleged role in Witness D murder

In related news, Prosecutors now allege that Sotheni was the gunman in a Suzuki Swift used in the fatal shooting of Marius van der Merwe, widely known as “Witness D”.

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According to the state, his specialised tactical training made him an ideal suspect for the role. Investigators believe the killing involved a drive-by shooting, with the gunman firing from a moving vehicle, a method prosecutors say requires significant weapons training and precision.

Articles on Marius van der Merwe

• Briefly News also reported that 41-year-old Marius van der Merwe, a former Ekurhuleni metro police officer and founder of private security company QRF Task Team, became the public face of courage in South Africa’s fight against corruption.
• The Brakpan community came together on 6 December 2025 to honour Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, in a heartfelt candlelight vigil. He was a well-respected and beloved figure in the Brakpan community.
• Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, explained that the Department of Justice had offered protection to Witness D, but he declined.

Source: Briefly News