Marius van der Merwe's murder has drawn widespread outrage and criticism of the government's protection of witnesses testifying at the commission.
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi has defended the government’s protection witness programme and the Madlanga Commission’s security amid the death of Marius van der Merwe.
The former EMPD officer and private security firm owner was shot outside his Brakpan, Gauteng, home on Friday evening. He had previously testified at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into police corruption and criminal collusion. There, he implicated suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) top cop Julius Mkhwanazi in criminal activity.
The murder has drawn widespread outrage and criticism of the government’s protection of witnesses testifying at the commission.
While sources told The Citizen that Van der Merwe was not given protection, Kubayi on Saturday said it was offered but declined by him.
‘They have done everything in their power to protect’
She said she was pleased with the current witness protection programme and the commission’s efforts to protect witnesses.
“I don’t think that they [the commission] have been negligent. They have done everything in their power to protect.”
She claimed that she, her department, and even some commissioners did not know the identity of witness D, but the media did. She said this was a concern.
However, those in the security industry rubbished this, claiming the commission’s attempts to hide his identity were flimsy, and it was immediately obvious who he was once he started testifying.
She acknowledged that she feared for witnesses before bizarrely slamming the media for its coverage of the commission and Van der Merwe’s death.
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Need for review
She acknowledged earlier that there is a need to review how testimony was given at the commission before suggesting that testimonies be given behind closed doors. This was previously challenged by media houses amid concerns of public interest, transparency and accountability.
“I want to say to the nation that we are in agreement that there is a need for us to review how the witnesses are testifying at the Madlanga Commission following this incident, and also ensure the work is not compromised.
“We must recognise, all of us patriotic South Africans, that public interest information cannot supersede or be above the right to life.”
She later slammed the public for revealing Van der Merwe’s identity, using social media, and stoking suspicions.
‘Support them’
She said that if testimony is given in camera, it should be supported in the name of being patriotic.
Using an example of court proceedings, she said that media showing the faces of prosecutors and magistrates “puts their lives at risk because they are identified by gangs and criminals”.
“We support the openness of democracy. We support the transparency of democracy, but let’s also look at the unintended consequences and how we can protect our institutions and, more importantly, our country from thugs and criminals. They must not prosper, while our witnesses die.”
