Witness Assassination Will Not Stop Madlanga Commission, Interim Report Delivered to Ramaphosa
The murder of Marius van der Merwe, who was a witness at the Madlanga Commission, is also suspected to be linked to his fight against illegal mining.
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The assassination of Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, will not deter the work of the Madlanga Commission. That was the firm stance communicated by the commission in a statement when handing their interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa, which was for his eyes only, on Wednesday.
“(Marius) Van der Merwe’s murder is a reminder of the determination of certain criminal elements who do not want to see accountability and justice take its course.
"The commission will not be intimidated and urges the relevant law enforcement agencies to track down and bring to book all those who seek to undermine the work of the commission,” read an extract from the statement.
Ramaphosa ordered the formation of the commission, which is headed by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to delve deep into the allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption in the country's criminal justice system.
The action from Ramaphosa was necessitated after KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made a range of serious allegations in July about the compromises in the system.
Public hearings of the commission began in mid-September, and thus far, 37 witnesses have appeared, with more witnesses expected to be called when hearings resume in January.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the president would study the interim findings while the commission goes into recess to prepare for further hearings, including testimony from new witnesses and individuals who have already appeared.
“Ramaphosa has expressed his appreciation for the interim report as well as his expectation that the commission will, as part of its terms of reference, refer actions thought to be criminal acts for prosecution,” he said.
However, Magwenya stressed on Monday that the interim report will not be released to the public, underscoring that it does not represent the commission’s final conclusions. “The report the president will receive is not the one that will be released to the public,” Magwenya said.
“Some of the witnesses will be called back to give further evidence. It would not be helpful to start chewing and debating on something half-baked.”
Only the final report, expected in 2026, will be made public.
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