Nandi Ntini & Michelle BandaThe murder of Witness D who was a witness at the Madlanga Commission has intensified fears about the safety and protection of whistleblowers. Marius van der Merwe was gunned down on Friday, triggering renewed calls to fix the country’s failing witness protection and criminal justice systems.The founder of Public Interest SA, who also drives the Whistleblower Awards, Tebogo Khaas, said the killings are “a deeply worrying indictment of South Africa’s policing and justice systems”.“It exposes a level of brazenness in our society where people know they can take someone’s life without consequence. It confirms that our policing system is broken, our justice system is broken and the criminal justice system is in a very worrying state,” Khaas said. He rejected the government’s claim that Van der Merwe declined witness protection, calling it “rubbish”. It exposes a level of brazenness in our society where people know they can take someone’s life without consequence.— Tebogo Khaas, founder of Public Interest SA“This is just an excuse. The state did not do enough to address his concerns. Whistleblowers lose their jobs, their livelihoods and their identity; the state cannot compensate them for that.”On TikTok, Van der Merwe’s wife, Leanne, shared emotional tributes.“I don’t know how to be without you… How do I say goodbye? Something in the heavens tells me we will be together again. I love you forever, my babe,” she wrote.Corruption Watch said the killing highlights systemic weaknesses in SA’s whistleblower protection regime. Moira Campbell, joint interim leader, warned: “This latest killing has placed this issue front and centre. It cannot be ignored. It is a matter of extreme urgency.” “It is clear that current laws fall far short of providing adequate protection.”Campbell stated that the draft Whistleblower Protection Bill was under review. “will hopefully make its way to parliament in the coming months.”Wayne Duvenage, CEO of OUTA, said that the state needs to overhaul its protection and policing systems. “If you don’t get the criminal justice system right and you’re not able to arrest people, you can’t stop murders like this,” He said. “Whistleblowers need proper protection: safe houses, bodyguards and anonymity. The state cannot simply accept it when someone says they don’t want protection. You must assume the worst.”National Joint Operational and Intelligence…
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2025-12-08 04:00:01
