UPDATE: Van der Merwe reported fearing for his life

Marius van der Merwe, the Brenthurst resident who was gunned down in front of family last night, had recently survived other attempts on his life.

This is according to his mother-in-law Lesley McLean. Speaking to the Brakpan Herald this morning outside the home where the fatal shooting occurred, the 64-year-old disclosed that Marius mentioned a couple of times that he was scared for his life.

“His words were: “I have done what I have to do, but I know I’m going to get killed for it”,” said Lesley.

Describing the events leading up to the shooting, Lesley explained she was at home in the kitchen and her husband Rodney was watching TV, when they heard a “loud, thundering noise.”

Her husband told her to get down. When they went outside, their daughter Lee-Ann was already out of the car, and said: “Daddy, Marius has been shot. He’s dead.”

The couple’s two children, aged four and eight, were in the vehicle. They were not injured. Lesley said Marius was a loving father and husband, who was always very helpful.

She went on to explain that there were two other recent incidents where he was shot at but was unharmed. Lee-Ann declined to speak to the media and issued a short statement, which reads:

“Please respect my family’s privacy. I have lost my love and my children have lost their father. Our country has lost our hero.”

While the Herald was still at the scene, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, City of Ekurhuleni MMC for Finance, arrived. He stated he was there in his capacity as the ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary.

Dlabathi said the testimony given by Van der Merwe at the commission was damning and it questioned the standing of the EMPD and its credibility

“We are calling for corrective measures to be taken within the EMPD,” he said.

“As the ANC, we did welcome the precautionary suspension of the acting chief of police amidst the allegation that were put before the commission.

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“We are disappointed about the assassination of Witness D, because his testimony was quite damning and warrants further investigation.

“We view his assassination as something that was calculated. We may not have facts, but it does appear that it is linked to the testimony that he made.

“It does appear as well that there is an attempt to not have him as a witness when this matter is before the court of law.

“We view his killing as a brutal attack to justice, accountability and the rule of law.”