Emmanuel Mbense’s Family Praises General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi After Five Arrested in 2022 Murder Case
- The family of Emmanuel Mbense has reacted to the news that five people were arrested for his murder in 2022
- Details of Mbense's murder came to light following Marius van der Merwe's testimony before the Madlanga Commission
- The family also noted the role Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi played in helping them get closer to justice being served
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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 worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG - The family of Emmanuel Mbense has thanked Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi following the arrest of five suspects connected to his murder.
The family expressed relief that justice is finally moving forward after years of uncertainty. Mbense was allegedly killed at a property in Brakpan in April 2022. His body was later recovered from the Duduza dam in Nigel.
Among those arrested on Wednesday is suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief, Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi.
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Family grateful to KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner
Speaking to SABC News after the arrests, the family credited the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner's explosive media briefing in July 2025 as the moment that changed everything. They said his press conference set the stage for the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where the family heard, for the very first time, the full details of what allegedly happened to their loved one.
Mbense's brother, Nhlanhla, said the family's faith had been tested over the years, but that the press briefing's developments marked a turning point.
"This has been long awaited from us, you know. At some point our faith was tested, where we felt like it's never going to happen. But today the wheels of the justice system are turning in the right direction.
“First and foremost, I'd like to thank God, because without him I don't believe we would have been here. Also, to thank Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, because had it not been for the press conference on the 6th of July, where would we be?"
What did the Madlanga Commission reveal?
During his testimony before the Commission, Witness D, who was later revealed to be Marius van der Merwe, admitted to being present during Mbense's interrogation at an unofficial site in Brakpan.
Van der Merwe testified that Mbense was subjected to severe torture, including a suffocation technique known as "tubing," carried out by EMPD officers and private security members. He stated that Julius Mkhwanazi gave direct instructions to dispose of the body in a dam or mine shaft to conceal the crime. Van der Merwe admitted to participating in the disposal, saying he acted out of fear.
He was murdered not long after his explosive testimony.
Mbense's family also released a statement at that stage, when they finally heard details about what had happened to him.
Police raid property of Mbense murder suspect
Briefly News reported that Gauteng police raided a property belonging to a suspect linked to the 2022 murder of Mbense.
Etienne van de Walt, whose property was raided, was implicated in the murder by Marius van der Merwe's testimony.
South Africans weighed in on the raids on properties, sharing mixed reactions to the news that police were taking action.
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Source: Briefly News
