By Johnathan Paoli
A new anonymous witness, “Witness G”, is set to take the stand at the Madlanga Commission on Monday, with proceedings tightly controlled to safeguard their identity.
“The proceedings will be live-streamed but the evidence leader [senior counsel Matthew Chaskalson] will indicate to the Chairperson and his co-Commissioners when he intends to lead testimony which is likely to compromise the identify of the witness, at which point the testimony will be heard fully in camera.
“To facilitate the above, the media and public will be seated in the auditorium, as normal, and the Commissioners will be located elsewhere,” Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said.
The arrangement follows a formal ruling issued by the commission last month, which sets out strict protocols governing the witness’s appearance.
“The appearance of the applicant before this Commission on 04 May 2026, and on any subsequent date until the conclusion of the testimony, shall be conducted virtually and off screen, but with an audio broadcast,” Madlanga ruled.
He held that only the commissioners, evidence leaders, commission staff, and the parties and their legal representatives shall be permitted to remain present during the hearing of the applicant’s evidence.
Madlanga ruled that redacted records may later be released, but only in a form that preserves anonymity.
In December, Marius van der Merwe, who had testified before the commission as “Witness D”, was shot dead outside his Brakpan home just two weeks after giving evidence.
Van der Merwe, a Brakpan-based private security company owner and former Ekurhuleni Metro police officer, gave testimony about an alleged extrajudicial killing involving senior police officers, among other allegations. His assassination led to the additional intense security that was adopted by the commission.
Monday marks the 100th day of the commission.
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