Madlanga commission: Ex-officer charged with murder of South African whistleblower 'Witness D'

A former member of an elite police unit has been charged with the murder of a whistleblower who testified at a major police corruption inquiry in South Africa. Matipandile Sotheni, 41, appeared in court accused of killing Marius van der Merwe in December last year. Sotheni is accused of shooting dead Van der Merwe in full view of his family in a case that caused national outrage. He has not commented on the charges. Van der Merwe, identified only as "Witness D" during his appearance at the inquiry, known as the Madlanga commission, had implicated police officials in the torture and murder of a suspected robber in his testimony. His testimony was seen as blowing the lid on the extent of police corruption at a local level in South Africa and led to the suspension of several of the officers he had named. The Madlanga commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa after a senior police officer alleged that organised crime groups had infiltrated the government. This led to the suspension of South Africa's Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who has denied having any links to criminal gangs. South Africa's parliament is also investigating these allegations. In addition to Van der Merw

Mar 16, 2026 → Mar 16, 2026