Following the death of Wiandre Pretorius on Saturday night, National SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe asked, "Are we dealing with a syndicate that is eliminating each other in relation to the Emmanel Mbense murder? That is what our detectives are probing."
On Thursday, Pretorius allegedly survived a brazen assassination attempt after his vehicle was sprayed with 16 bullets. Two days later, he took his own life on February 7 at a Brakpan petrol station by allegedly shooting himself.
Before he was killed, Marius van der Merwe, identified as “Witness D” at the time, revealed to the Madlanga Commission that Mbense’s death was no accident. It was a deliberate and brutal killing, followed by a calculated effort to erase all traces of the crime.
The testimony of Van der Merwe, who has since been murdered, reopened harrowing details of torture, murder, and disposal allegedly carried out by individuals affiliated with law enforcement.
During his testimony, Van der Merwe claimed Pretorius played a key role in Mbense's torture.
“Pretorius was seen “tubing” the man, placing a plastic bag over his head and fastening it around his neck to force him to talk,” he said.
Van der Merwe described holding the Mbense's legs down with a broken wooden table leg while Pretorius, assisted by two Brakpan SAPS members, continued to suffocate him.
Van der Merwe claimed that after Mbense revealed that he had R500,000 in the house, Pretorius and the two SAPS members pushed him into a second bedroom and closed the door, isolating him.
“Pretorius allegedly warned that the suspect “would never ever talk again,” signaling that lethal force was not only threatened but applied,” he added.
Van der Merwe stated that he was instructed to transport the deceased to a dam, while Pretorius worked with other officers to ensure the body was properly placed and concealed.
He said he complied out of fear for his own life.
Mbense, a 51-year-old father of five from Brakpan, was abducted on 15 April 2022 during an operation involving SAPS officers, metro police, and private security. His body was found the next day in Duduza Dam near Nigel, with his car keys and driver’s licence still in his pocket.
According to the death certificate, the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
Mathe confirmed that “an inquest docket had been registered” following the death of Pretorius, who allegedly shot himself in front of his partner, police sergeant Juan-Mare Eksteen.
Only eight of the original twelve people of interest in the murder of Mbense are still alive, according to Mathe, after Pretorius's passing. Two were killed last year, and three were killed "execution style" in 2023.
The police are now examining CCTV footage to verify what transpired, according to BBC News. According to reports, Pretorius got into a fight with his fiancée at the gas station before killing himself.
Political analyst Kenneth Mokgatlhe, a fellow at the Middle East African Research Institute, said the events surrounding Pretorius’ death reveal the scale of corruption and danger within the police.
“The SAPS has been captured. The death of Pretorius is a stark reminder of the scale of corruption and danger within the force and also recalls the assassinations of other key witnesses in the Mbense case, highlighting revelations from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which focuses on the crimes perpetrated by the police themselves.”
Mokgatlhe said citizens and politicians have long accused police of aiding criminals, with hitmen in KZN and other provinces working alongside law enforcement.
He called Pretorius’ suicide a sign of lost faith in the police, warning that other potential witnesses now face the same threat.
He said another inquiry is needed to address corruption and restore trust in the police.
“The commission opened a can of worms. There should be another inquiry to allow police to confess the crimes they’ve committed and propose solutions, because only those within the system know how to restore its integrity.
“At the moment, communities in South Africa have lost complete faith in the SAPS, and restoring trust will be extremely difficult. The president also needs to act, but he cannot, because he benefits from police protection in other cases. Factionalism in the ANC, which has dominated since the 2007 conference, extends into the police and the NPA. Corruption is not limited to the SAPS,” he added.
Meanwhile, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed that investigations into Mbense’s murder and related deaths are being fast-tracked.
“We take this opportunity to appraise you on the work that has already been done emanating from the evidence that has been given at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Adhoc Committee,” he said.
Masemola said a specialised SAPS task team was established to act on evidence led at the Ccommission,including identifying officers implicated in alleged misconduct.
“To date, members whose names were mentioned at both committees have been identified. We cannot at this stage mention names, as the cases are still under investigation. All affected members have received notices of investigation into their alleged misconduct. The hearings are at an advanced stage, and two senior officers have been suspended,” Masemola said.
He confirmed that SAPS has received IPID’s recommendations regarding Mbense’s murder.
“We have received the IPID recommendation of the April 2022 murder of Mbense. A high-level investigative team, working alongside the NPA, had been established following a directive from President Cyril Ramaphosa. The team will also include dedicated advocates from the NPA for the purpose of prosecutorial-guided investigations,” he shared.
Masemola said investigations linked to the commission are being prioritised under NatJoints, including safety assessments for those involved.
“Together with the NPA led by the NATJOINTS we continue to assess and review safety and security aspects of those who have a role at the Commission.” He confirmed progress in the investigation into the murder of Van der Merwe.
“I have received a briefing from the provincial commissionerof Gauteng on how far investigations are into arresting those responsible for the murder of Van der Merwe, and I am confident that the team is on the right track.”
The Star
masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za