BRAKPAN – The first suspect in the assassination of Marius “Vlam” Van Der Merwe, known as Witness-D in the Madlanga Commission of Enquiry, appeared in the Brakpan Magistrates Court on Monday, 16 March.
Matipandile Sotheni’s (41) appearance followed his arrest on Saturday (14 March) by investigators of the Police Task Team assigned to investigating organised criminal cases emanating from the Commission.
It emerged that he was a former elite officer. Sotheni is remanded in custody with his case postponed to 25 March for a bail application. He is facing multiple charges: conspiracy to commit murder, premeditated murder, three counts of attempted murder, and unlawful possession of ammunition.
“The suspect allegedly conspired to kill Van der Merwe and conducted surveillance on the deceased. It is further alleged that on 5 December 2025, he positioned himself in the vicinity of the deceased’s residence. When the deceased arrived home with his wife and two minor children, he allegedly shot and killed the deceased,” said Lumka Mahanjana, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecution Authority of South Africa, Gauteng Division.
Police forensic preliminary investigation confirmed an AK-47 was used to kill the whistleblower. The getaway car has since been seized. Police are still searching for a firearm used, including a third person of interest. Initially, police mentioned that three persons of interest had been identified in Van der Merwe’s brutal murder.
According to police, two potential persons of interest were identified: Sotheni, the alleged hitman, and Wiandre Pretorius (41), who was the driver of the car used in the drive-by shooting. Pretorius, a former police reservist, died by suicide on 7 February in Brakpan. He was implicated in the Commission as having participated in the alleged murder and disposal of the body of Emmanuel Mbhense on 15 April 2022, allegedly by members of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police, SAPS, and private security. The man was allegedly tortured and murdered by law enforcement and security personnel at his home in Brakpan.
Van der Merwe, one of the key witnesses in the Commission, claimed he was ordered to dispose of the victim’s body under duress, an act he later reported to authorities. He testified about illegal mining and implicated officials, including suspended EMPD chief Julius Mkhwanazi, in alleged murder cover-ups and corruption. Van der Merwe previously worked for the EMPD.
Full-scale police investigations are continuing in parallel with the Commission of Enquiry.
Also read: Full-scale police investigation into assassination of Witness-D leads to first arrest
