In December last year, a witness before the Madlanga commission of inquiry, Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe, was shot dead in cold blood on his driveway in Brakpan.
Van der Merwe, known as Witness D, had implicated several individuals in the murder of Emmanuel Mbense, who was killed in Brakpan and whose body was later dumped in a dam some 20km from his home in 2022.
His murder sent shockwaves through the country and sparked calls for stronger measures to protect witnesses testifying before the commission.
On Thursday morning, Wiandre Pretorius, who was implicated by Van der Merwe in the Madlanga commission, was attacked in his driveway in Van Dyk Park in Ekurhuleni.
Gunmen fired at least 16 shots at his vehicle. It is a miracle Pretorius escaped unharmed, but the attack bore striking similarities to the assassination of Witness D.
While the commission has expressed concern for the safety of witnesses and potential witnesses, its spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said on Thursday Pretorius was not scheduled to appear before the commission and was not, at present, a focus of its work.
Michaels said Pretorius had not approached the commission with information or requested protection, and that he is understood to be under investigation by another law enforcement agency.
These developments raise troubling questions about the safety of those connected, either directly or indirectly, to the commission’s work.
After Van der Merwe’s murder, President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed concern, fearing it might deter other people from testifying before the commission. The president urged law enforcement agencies to undertake a thorough investigation and to ensure the perpetrators face justice, something that has not happened.
Until those responsible are identified and brought to book, fear will continue to hang over the commission and over the pursuit of truth itself.
Protection cannot be limited only to those already on the witness stand. Those who may testify in future, and those who are implicated and whose evidence could place them at risk also require careful assessment and protection.
Law enforcement agencies must act decisively in providing that protection. Ensuring the safety of witnesses is essential not only for justice to be done, but for it to be seen to be done.
What is equally critical is that police make a swift breakthrough in both the murder of Witness D and the attempted killing on Thursday.
It is hoped that police will soon be able to make a breakthrough in the latest case as the make, model and colour of the vehicle seen during the attack had been identified.
Until those responsible are identified and brought to book, fear will continue to hang over the commission and over the pursuit of truth itself.
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