HE DIED A ‘LIGHTER’ MAN - Killed Madlanga witness wanted to get his role in body-dumping off his chest

A JARELANGE bra of slain Madlanga Commission witness Marius van der Merwe says his friend would have died a lighter man because he felt guilty about his role in dumping the body of a suspect in a dam. 

Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) superintendent Jacques Vorster broke down in tears speaking about Van der Merwe’s assassination in front of his family at his home in Brakpan last Friday.

He said his friend always felt guilty about the suspect’s death and his role in disposing of the body, and he was keen to get it off his chest before the Madlanga Commission. 

In fact, Vorster said, shortly after he was ordered to dispose of a body in Spaarwater Dam, he told the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) as well as the police about what happened, but not much came of this.

Vorster said that from the day he was forced to dump the body of a Mozambican citizen into the dam, his friend played open cards about his involvement.

He explained: “It had bothered him, and he had sleepless nights about his involvement. 

“He felt guilty that he could not do more to save the man’s life. But he was not in a position to do anything, else he would have also ended up in the dam.”

Van der Merwe knew his life could be at stake. Although he testified under the name of Witness D, there were so many people involved, and they could also identify his voice. 

Vorster added: “He knew it was his duty because what had happened was against his religious beliefs. Unfortunately, it did not end well for him, but he felt better for it.”

Meanwhile, CCTV footage showed Marius van der Merwe talking to his killers and attempting to draw his own weapon before he was killed.

He was shot multiple times in full view of his family.

Van der Merwe gave testimony before the Commission about the torture and interrogation of a Mozambican suspect at an unofficial site in Brakpan.

He alleged that a group of EMPD officers with private security had been involved in the death of the man using methods, including tubing, regarded as torture and Van der Merwe said he was forced to dump the body into a dam.