By Johnathan Paoli
A key witness linked to the Madlanga Commission has been shot and killed in Brakpan on Friday evening, in what is already raising alarm about the safety of those testifying before the high-profile inquiry probing criminality, political interference and corruption in South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the killing late on Friday but declined to disclose the identity of the deceased, citing sensitivity and the need to notify the family.
Mathe said only that the individual “is a witness before the commission” and that senior police management were “on their way to the crime scene to establish the facts.”
She said additional information would be released once investigators completed their preliminary assessment.
Reports indicate that the slain individual appears to be Witness D, one of the most contested and closely scrutinised figures to have testified before the commission to date. Police have not officially confirmed this.
Witness D delivered explosive testimony earlier this year, alleging that he was called to a scene in Brakpan where a suspect had been tortured and later died.
According to his testimony, senior Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) official, Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi, allegedly instructed officers to dispose of the body in a nearby river or abandon it in a mineshaft to conceal the death.
Mkhwanazi has previously denied any wrongdoing.
At this stage, details surrounding Friday night’s shooting remain unclear.
It is not yet known whether the killing is directly linked to Witness D’s testimony, whether it forms part of a broader pattern of intimidation against witnesses, or whether it was a targeted assassination.
Police have not provided information on possible suspects, motive, or how the attack unfolded.
The Madlanga Commission has already been marred by fears of interference and threats to witnesses, with civil society organisations repeatedly calling for enhanced protection measures.
Tonight’s killing is likely to intensify those concerns and raise urgent questions about the state’s ability to safeguard those coming forward with evidence involving powerful political and policing figures.
Police forensic teams are currently on the scene, and a murder investigation is underway.
This is a developing story.
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