Silenced: 5 December 2025, Brakpan

Marius van der Merwe, 41, appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System (the Madlanga Commission) with his identity protected as "Witness D".

He was shot dead on arriving home in Brakpan on the evening of 5 December 2025, in front of his wife and children.

His evidence to the commission implicated Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and SAPS officers in the torture-linked murder of a robbery suspect in Brakpan on 15 April 2022, and those officers and now-suspended EMPD chief Julius Mkhwanazi in the cover-up and disposal of the man's body. Van der Merwe told the commission he had been on the scene, and was ordered to dispose of the body in a dam in Nigel. "I interpreted it as if I do not comply, then I would probably be next," he told the commission. He also told the commission that a group of officers and private security officials were involved in truck hijackings, recovery of goods and extorting payments from the robbery victims for the return of goods. "This whole team participated in that. And it was done with Chief Julius Mkhwanazi’s knowledge," he said. "I fear this group and others like it were responsible for a host of similar offences and even hijackings or armed robberies using state vehicles and resources."

See more: Madlanga Commission record of 14 November 2025, SABC of 14 November 2025, News24 of 15 November 2025, News24 of 6 December 2025, Presidency statement of 6 December 2025, Minister of Justice statement of 6 December 2025, Daily Maverick of 6 December 2025, Daily Maverick of 6 December 2025, IOL of 7 December 2025, News24 of 8 December 2025. 

Six convicted, but shooters and planners still free

On 22 August 2023, six men – Phakamani Vincent Hadebe, Nhlangano Phinda Ndlovu, Sanele Mbhele, Siphakanyiswa Dladla, Zitha Radebe and Siphiwe Thabane Mazibuko – were convicted of involvement in Babita Deokaran's murder and jailed for six to 22 years. 

Those who ordered the killing and those who fired the shots were never found.

The plea agreement indicates at least nine men were involved in the attack, excluding the person or persons who ordered the killing.

The plea identifies the two shooters as Khanysani Mpungose and an unknown adult man. Mpungose, acting on behalf of someone else, hired Hadebe, who brought in the other five who were convicted. Another man, Siphiwe Mpilo Sithole, not arrested, was used to scout Deokaran’s home. The six convicted were involved in scouting and tracking Deokaran, identifying her home and vehicle, taking photos, driving the three vehicles used in the attack, keeping watch for police near the scene, and staying in touch with each other by cellphone.

Despite the apparently poor backgrounds of the six convicted (only one passed matric), they were represented by top lawyers. Five worked in the taxi industry (Kempton Park Taxi Association or Ennerdale Taxi Association) for very low wages, the sixth was in private transport. Ndlovu, who didn’t finish school and earned just R2400 a month as a patroller for the Kempton Park Taxi Association, was represented by advocate Menzi Simelane, the former National Director of Public Prosecutions who was linked to the capture of the National Prosecuting Authority and later removed by legal action.

See more: News24’s Silenced investigation, the plea agreement which jailed six of the attackers, OUTA’s call for the masterminds to be pursued, and the book The Shadow State: Why Babita Deokaran had to die by Jeff Wicks.

Silenced 30 June 2025, Kempton Park

Mpho Mafole was the Group Divisional Head: Corporate and Forensic Audits at Ekurhuleni Metro, and was shot dead on 30 June 2025 while driving on the R23 in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.

Mafole compiled a forensic report on corruption in the metro's R1.8 billion chemical toilet tender. He as was killed three days after submitting his report; the assassins followed him all day before he was killed. Various reports have also linked him to investigations into electricity vending contracts that cost the metro R2.2 billion, and the refurbishment of the SAAME municipal building in Germiston.

One facing charges

An alleged hitman, Thabani Goodwill Ntshalintshali, a former taxi driver who allegedly drove the vehicle tracking Mpho Mafole, was arrested and appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court in October and November 2025, and was denied bail. At the time of Mafole’s killing, Ntshalintshali was reportedly out on bail in connection with charges of murdering DJ Bongani Mfihlo at a nightclub in Kempton Park in September 2023. Police named a second suspect as Hlanganani Agripper Mncwango, who allegedly owned the vehicle used.

See more: LinkedIn, Ekurhuleni Metro statement of 3 July 2025, Gauteng Legislature statement of 25 July 2025, News24 of 4 Aug 2025, Daily Sun of 14 Oct 2025, News24 of 29 Oct 2025, The Citizen of 14 Nov 2025, News24 of 1 Dec 2025.

Targets: Ekurhuleni auditors

Mafole was the third Ekurhuleni Metro auditor or financial investigator to be targeted.

• Simnikiwe Mapini: This adjudicator in the City of Ekurhuleni finance department was shot dead on 8 December 2023 while in his car while stopped at a traffic light near in Germiston, Ekurhuleni. He was investigating Ekurhuleni’s chemical toilets contract and waste collection contracts.
• Kagiso Lerutla, Ekurhuleni’s CFO, survived an attempted hit when he was shot while driving in Germiston on 15 September 2023. In October 2025, Lerutla was appointed as the Ekurhuleni city manager.

See more: Ekurhuleni Metro statement of 3 July 2025, SABC News of 3 July 2025, News24 of 4 Aug 2025, Daily Maverick of 8 Sept 2025, News24 of 29 Oct 2025,  News24 of 30 Oct 2025.

Mayor calls for investigation into Ekurhuleni

"It is becoming increasingly clear that there are sinister forces determined to undermine our renewal agenda and anti-corruption efforts. I have formally written to the Minister of State Security and the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, requesting urgent intervention and a comprehensive investigation into the recent spate of shootings targeting senior government officials in the City of Ekurhuleni." 

-- Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, on the murders of Mpho Mafole and Simnikiwe Mapini, and attempted murder of Kagiso Lerutla.

​Ekurhuleni Metro statement of 3 July 2025

Silenced 17 April 2024, Vereeniging

Swart was an engineer who was shot 23 times and died outside Q Tech in Vereeniging, where he worked, on 17 April 2024. 

Q Tech, a long-time supplier to Transnet Freight Services, had found that another company called the SK Group was selling Q Tech’s R3.20 springs to Transnet for R152 each, and complained to Transnet.

Swart is believed to have been targeted as he was assumed to be the whistleblower, or mistaken for the person believed to be the whistleblower.

Seizure of guns links Swart murder to many other murders

Three men were arrested within hours in Bramley, Johannesburg: Tiego Floyd Mabusela, serving police detective Michael Pule Tau and Musa Kekana, and weapons believed used in the attack and stolen vehicles were seized. The resulting police investigation led to the arrest of businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe on 6 December 2024 by the Political Killings Task Team. These four are also facing charges in connection with other murders and attempted murders, linked through the weapons used. This case is in the Gauteng High Court sitting in Palm Ridge.

Q Tech, a long-time supplier to Transnet Freight Services, had found that another company called the SK Group was selling Q Tech’s R3.20 springs to Transnet for R152 each, on a contract signed off by Transnet’s Lucky Molefe. Q Tech complained to Transnet. Molefe allegedly asked his uncle, Katiso Molefe, for help. The killers apparently wrongly believed that Swart was the whistleblower who had alerted Transnet, or mistook him for the person they believed to be the whistleblower.

The Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System (the Madlanga Commission) later heard that there was interference in the police investigation, and the initial police ballistics report omitted crucial information about the cartridge cases.

The Madlanga Commission was told that the five weapons seized in Bramley during the arrests of Tau, Mabusela and Kekana in connection with Swart's murder were linked to numerous other crimes – at least 27 cases – including multiple murders, attempted murders and cash-in-transit heists.

These include the 20 November 2022 murder in Woodmead of Oupa John Sefoka (DJ Sumbody) and his bodyguards Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza; the March 2022 murder in Orlando East, Soweto, of Hector Buthelezi (DJ Vintos); and the  March 2023 murder of Don Tindleni on the N1 near the N17 off-ramp, Soweto.

See more: News24 of 4 May 2024, News24 of 24 Sept 2024, Business Day of 20 Oct 2025, News24 of 27 Oct 2025, News24 of 28 Oct 2025, TimesLive of 28 Oct 2025, Mail & Guardian of 29 Oct 2024, News24 of 1 Nov 2025.

What happened to the corruption investigation?

This killing is believed to have been sparked by a corrupt Transnet Freight Services contract.

There is no indication yet of an investigation into that procurement.

Silenced 4 September 2017, uMzimkhulu

Sindiso Magaqa was an ANC councillor for uMzimkhulu Local Municipality, and was shot and fatally injured on 13 July 2017 near his home in Idisi, uMzimkhulu. He died on 4 September 2017. He had five children, all under 10 at the time of his death. Magaqa had been the ANC Youth League's national secretary general. When Julius Malema was expelled from the ANCYL, Magaqa had been suspended from the ANC for a year in 2012/13 and later allowed to return.

Two other uMzimkhulu councillors, Jabulile Msiya and Nontsikelelo Mafa, were shot and injured in the same attack.

Msiya told the Moerane Commission that she, Magaqa and other councillors had called for a forensic audit of the municipality’s project to renovate Memorial Hall, but the council decided against this; the community subsequently protested in support of an investigation.

Msiya and Mafa told the Moerane Commission that the killings were for political reasons, factionalism and linked to the hall project. Both told the commission the killings were linked to “the determination by some to cling to power”, corruption, and efforts to “capture” uMzimkhulu municipality to control tenders and resources. His family also told the commission his killing was linked to corruption; they questioned his death as they had believed he was recovering, and raised concern that he had been poisoned in hospital.

One witness told the commission that he believed that kickbacks from tenders were used to pay for hitmen.

Killers targeted uMzimkhulu councillors

At least three other uMzimkhulu councillors were also murdered in the weeks before Magaqa’s killing.

On 20 April 2017, council Speaker Khayalethu Thobela, of Ward 13, was killed when he arrived at his home in Mfundweni village, uMzimkhulu. In October 2018, two people were charged: Sifiso Hadebe and Khayalethu Njiyela. No further information is available.

On 9 May 2017, councillor for ward 12, Khayelihle Mgcwaba, was killed at his home in Machunwini, uMzimkhulu. His wife and two others were subsequently arrested. No further information is available.

On 23 May 2017, councillor for ward 14, Mduduzi Shibase (some reports refer to Tshibase) was killed on arriving at his home in Gugwini village, uMzimkhulu. He was a father of three and also a school teacher. A taxi driver and four others were arrested in connection with Tshibase’s killing. No further information is available.

On 13 July 2017, councillor Sindiso Magaqa was shot and fatally injured.

Hitman jailed 8 years after the killing, more on trial in 2026

On 7 July 2025, hitman Sibusiso Ncengwa was convicted of murdering Sindiso Magaqa and attempting to murder fellow uMzimkhulu councillors Jabulile Msiya and Nontsikelelo Mafa and another in a plea agreement and sentenced to an effective 25 years in jail.

Ncengwa said he was one of a group who were paid R120 000 to kill Magaqa, and that the hit plot also involved the late uMzimkhulu mayor, Mluleki Ndobe, the former city manager Zweliphansi Skhosana, and former journalist and eThekwini metro communications manager Mdu Ncalane.

The trial of Skhosana, Sbonelo Myeza and Mbulelo Mpofana continues in the Pietermaritzburg High Court. Myeza and Mpofana are out on bail while Skhosana was denied bail; the trial is set down for 18 May to 12 June 2026.

See more: Wikipedia, Moerane Commission report, News24 of 17 May 2017, News24 of 26 May 2017, Cape Times of 17 January 2018, News24 of 23 November 2018, SABC of 29 January 2019, SABC of 7 July 2025, NPA statement of 7 July 2025, Parliament statement of 7 July 2025, SABC of 2 September 2025, IOL of 23 September 2025, NPA statement of 6 October 2025, NPA statement of 16 October 2025, NPA statement of 27 November 2025.

What happened to the corruption investigation?

The Public Protector’s Report 30 of 2018/19 into the refurbishment of the uMzimkhulu Memorial Hall found that the appointment of the contractors did not follow a competitive bidding process, the contractors had been involved in the feasibility study, the municipality paid a service provider who had not been appointed, the spending constituted irregular expenditure, and called for the Hawks to investigate the killings of the councillors and the contract awards.

Silenced 4 January 2009, KaNyamazane, Mbombela

Jimmy Mohlala was the Speaker of Mbombela municipality and a member of the organizing committee of the 2010 World Cup when he was shot dead at his home in KaNyamazane outside Mbombela, Mpumalanga, in an attack by three men on 4 January 2009.

His 19-year-old son, Tshepiso Mohlala, was shot in the leg in the attack.

Mohlala had exposed tender corruption in the massive Mbombela Stadium project, a 2010 World Cup stadium (reported as worth R1.2 billion to R2 billion). He fell out with the ANC when he implicated the then municipal manager in the corruption; the ANC recalled him but he refused to step down as a councillor.

See more: Mail & Guardian of 22 Feb 2008, Mail & Guardian of 5 Jan 2009, Play the Game of 7 Jan 2009

Police, prosecutors bungle investigations into Mohalala's killing

Bungle 1

Soon after Jimmy Mohlala's killing, police arrested his widow Bonny Ndlazi, her son Tshepiso Mhohlala and nephew Wandile Mohlala. They were taken to the bush, assaulted, ordered to confess to the killing, and then released. All three subsequently filed cases against the Minister of Police for wrongful arrest and assault, including electric shocks and smothering, and in 2012 the Minister was ordered to pay compensation; the judgments detail what happened.

"Her husband had been assassinated... She was mourning the death of her dear husband. For no apparent reason whatsoever, the police smelled a rat that she was involved in the killing of her husband... The plaintiff was tricked and told that she would be taken to a police station. Instead she was taken to a bush where she was kept captive and helpless for a protracted period.... While in the bush, she was handcuffed from behind and shocked with an electric belt by the police, the very same people who should have protected her... She was helpless. This happened despite the fact that she did not refuse to answer their questions. Antiquated Gestapo methods by the police to extract information from people in these civilized times cannot be tolerated," said the judgment in Cheazer Bonny Ndlazi vs Minister of Safety and Security

Bungle 2

In April 2010, it was reported that a hitman had made a confession before a judge. Five people, including two police constables, were arrested in October 2010 and charged in connection with Mohlala's murder.

In March 2011, the two Mpumalanga police constables on trial for the murder, Dumisani Stanley Mhlanga and Musa Finish Mkhabela, were dismissed for alleged involvement in Mohlala's murder. "The two were identified as suspects in the murder of Mohlala," said police and said the two would also appear in the KaNyamazane Magistrate's Court. Mhlanga later died, and Mkhabela was subsequently reinstated. "Evidence revealed that the police rushed into arrested the suspects without doing any investigation," reported News24 in 2023, adding that the arrests had been based on a statement by an aggrieved relative of some of the accused who had previously framed his brother for car theft.

The case against the remaining four accused was moved to the Nelspruit Regional Magistrate's Court but was withdrawn in February 2012 due to lack of evidence.

Nothing further

In 2023, City Press reported the Mpumalanga police spokesman as saying the case had been closed as an inquest.

In July 2025, the case appeared abandoned. "He was murdered in 2009, and to this day, his killers walk free," said the South African Union Federation of Trade Unions. 

See more: Mail & Guardian of 22 Feb 2008, Mail & Guardian of 5 Jan 2009, Play the Game of 7 Jan 2009, Sunday Times of 25 April 2010, IOL of 21 Oct 2010, SAPS statement of 13 March 2011, News24 of 7 July 2011, Sowetan of 1 Feb 2012, Mail & Guardian of 15 Dec 2017, City Press of 15 Jan 2018, City Press of 6 February 2023, Facebook post of 4 June 2025, Saftu statement of 3 July 2025.   See the cases won by the Mohlala family against the Minister of Police: here, and here.

What happened to the corruption investigation?

In August 2012, the Hawks arrested Kaizer Chiefs Football Club manager Bobby Motaung, his business partner in Lefika Emerging Equity, Herbert Theledi, the company's former CEO, Chris Grip, former Mbombela manager municipal manager Jacob Dladla, Ehlanzeni District Municipality official Tebogo Kubeka and lawyer Michael Ramos in connection with fraud around the stadium contracts. City Press reported that prosecutors bungled the case while combining the arrests into a single matter and trying to transfer it to the Pretoria High Court.

"The court withdrew the charges on June 24 2013 for the NPA to sort itself out. The case has since not been reinstated," said City Press in January 2018. "We are not hitting a wall... it's just that some cases take longer to investigate," police told City Press.

See more:  City Press of 15 Jan 2018

2015-2018: The Moerane Commission

The Moerane Commission of Enquiry into the Underlying Causes of the Murder of Politicians in KwaZulu-Natal was established in October 2016. The report was handed to the KZN Premier in June 2018. After Right2Know filed a Promotion of Access to Information Act request for the public release of the report, the Premier tabled it in the KZN Legislature on 20 September 2018, making it publicly available.

The commission found that there was a very low bar to entry for councillor positions, that election to those positions provided political power "which creates the opportunity for access to resources through tenders and other financial avenues, leading to corruption, crass materialism, and conspicuous consumption", that such positions puts councillors in a position to manipulate tenders for personal benefit, that election to such positions could lead to the creation of a patronage network, and that the desirability of such positions led to violent attacks and retaliatory attacks, including the murder of politicians and related people. The criminal justice system was weak, and a culture of political violence had taken hold in KZN.

“The easiest way of escaping poverty is being a councillor. It changes your life overnight in terms of lifestyle,” the commission was told.

The Moerane Commission report is here.

The commission recommendations

These included:

• Political parties must take responsibility for the violent competition between their members for political positions and power, educate their members about democratic practices, and discipline and report wrongdoers.
• Political parties should use negotiation, mediation and other consensus-building methods to settle differences within and between themselves.
• There was "ample evidence" that the constitutional requirements of fair, equitable, transparent and cost-effective procurement "were violated in all respects by manipulation and exploitation by politicals and public officials in collusion with business people". Thus it was recommended that the state must urgently investigate and, where necessary, revise procedures to ensure constitutional compliance.
• The public service must be depoliticised and professionalised.
• Government officials must have the appropriate qualifications for the job. There should not be any political deployments.
• Corrupt activities "must be vigorously investigated" and prosecutions should follow.
• The State should ensure that the entire criminal justice system is depoliticised.
• An inter-ministerial task force should review the workings of the security agencies. "Competition and noncooperation among these agencies is a major contributory factor to the unresolved murder of politicians and consequently contributes to the perceptions and actual culture of impunity."
• Educational qualifications should never be made a requirement of public office but political parties and the state should provide effective training.
• Political tolerance should be encouraged and a strict code of conduct blocking the incitement of hatred, prejudice and violence enforced.

Snippets from the Moerane Commission report

"There was evidence to the fact that state institutions, particularly security institutions, are being manipulated by politicians for political ends.

There was evidence that criminal elements are recruited by politicians to achieve political ends, resulting in a complex matrix of criminal and political associations that also lead to the murder of politicians."

(Moerane Commission report, paragraphs 1178 & 1179, page 415.)

"There was overwhelming evidence from the majority of witnesses that access to resources through the tender system is the main root cause of the murder of politicians."

(Moerane Commission report, paragraph 1189, page 418.)

"The Commission recommends that the State immediately take measures to depoliticise and professionalise the public service. The State must rebuild a public service that is driven by the politics of delivery and public service and not the politics of patronage and personal accumulation."

(Moerane Commission report, paragraph 1190, page 419.)

“Corruption breeds anger. When others see that you are benefiting from corruption, they become angry because they feel that they are not benefiting because they are fools and you are clever. In the process, it also causes fundamental divisions in the public sector and community because some defend corruption because they are also benefiting from it.”

(From the commission’s summary of the evidence of former KZN Premier Senzo Mchunu, Moerane Commission report, paragraph 765, page 236).

 

“Mr [Jacob] Zuma lied so many times in Parliament and the ANC applauded him when he lied and also heckled the opposition. Criminals and thugs see MPs defending thieves in Parliament.”

(From the commission’s summary of the evidence of Siyanda Richard Mhlongo, former mayor of KwaDukuza and former ANC member. Moerane Commission report, paragraph 786, page 243.)

“Mr Zikode cautioned that the rhetoric adopted by politicians is very dangerous and what is sad is that they don’t recognise their statements to be inflammatory. He acknowledged that a lot still needs to be done to educate authorities as well as communities about the meaning of ubuntu beyond the phrase and that the problem must be realised as a societal one.”

(From the commission’s summary of the evidence of Abahlali baseMjondolo president Sibusiso Zikode. Moerane Commission report, paragraph 845, page 271.)

 

South African Local Government Association (Salga)

Salga told the commission that, nationally, there were 257 municipal councils with 9 306 councillors and more than 250 000 municipal employees.

Councillors are full-time (usually the mayor, speaker and sometimes members of the executive or mayoral committee) or part-time, with different remuneration scales for each. Only about 10% of the total councillors across the country are full-time positions.

The Moerane Commission report: Those killed

The Moerane Commission did not provide a formal list of politically related murders.

The list attached is compiled from the deaths referred to in the Moerane report, particularly the summary of evidence.

See here.