Police say they have recovered one of the vehicles used in the murder of Marius van der Merwe, who testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry as ‘Witness D’. The vehicle was found abandoned in Alexandra.

Van Der Merwe was shot dead outside his home in Brakpan on December 5.

The incident happened in full view of his family. His assassination followed explosive testimony he gave at the Madlanga Commission weeks earlier, in which he implicated the suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi in wrongdoing.

He alleged that Mkhwanazi had personally ordered him to dispose of the body of the suspect who allegedly died at the hands of EMPD and SAPS officers.

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National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed that the white Chevrolet bakkie matches the description of the vehicle seen in video footage on the night of the killing.

“On the evening of the murder, video footage shows a white bakkie pulling up behind his vehicle as he was about to open the gate to his residence. He was thereafter shot several times and died on the scene,” Masemola said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the bakkie was abandoned in Alexandra on December 6 by two men, just hours after Van Der Merwe was fatally shot. The vehicle has since been taken to a forensic laboratory for further analysis.

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Masemola added that three persons of interest have been identified, with one already taken in for questioning. Police are still searching for a second vehicle believed to have been involved in the crime.

“We are closing in on the suspects as investigations reach an advanced stage. The motive behind the killing is still under investigation, and we are also searching for the murder weapon,” he said.

@caxtonjoburgnorth Police found a vehicle believed to have been used in the murder of Madlanga Commission witness Marius van der Merwe abandoned in Alexandra on Saturday. Video: Itumeleng Maloka. #caxtonlocalmedia #trendingvideo #Localnews #johannesburg #News #Crime #Midrand #Alex #SAPS ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

He added that the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure and the Madlanga Commission security have met over the past few days to develop a plan to heighten security around officials and witnesses linked to the commission.

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