Community remembers Marius van der Merwe, a champion against illegal mining

In a heartfelt tribute to her slain husband, Leanne van der Merwe, the wife of Marius van der Merwe, remembered her husband as a loving, caring father, and family superhero to his children.

Van der Merwe, the former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) reservist, also known as Witness D at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, was gunned down on the driveway of his Brakpan home on Friday, December 5, just after 8pm.

His tragic assassination came just weeks after his testimony at the Madlanga Commission, with speculation still rife on the reasons behind his alleged hit.

"Where do I begin? Our story started online with you and the boys. I knew then that our lives would be fated. We have lived our best and worst times, and through good and bad, we always managed to find each other's hearts, and I will cling to these memories today. You were the love of my life. You left me with the most incredible children," she said through a letter read by the presiding pastors during Wednesday's memorial service.

Following Van der Merwe's tragic passing, which has left her with four sons, Leanne said she knows deep down in her heart that her husband loved her, believing his spirit will live on through their children.

"I know and trust that you will live through them. We know that because you were a great father, and we will be eternally grateful forever. From the milkshake dates to operations, you took me everywhere," she said.

The community leader, who had made the fight against illegal mining his mission, was given two services - one for the family and close friends, and another for the public at the Medley House wedding venue in Brakpan on Wednesday.

Van der Merwe reportedly died shortly after sending a voice note expressing his desire to expose senior state roleplayers allegedly facilitating illegal mining, a mission he took seriously until his demise.

Family friend, Samantha Labuschagne, revealed that the community and those close to Van der Merwe will not rest until justice is found for his brutal murder.

"Obviously, we want to see justice done. In the community, Marius was a pillar who worked very hard to clean up our community. He did a lot of things in the community. He was always at the frontline of the community. We will not stand still. The family will not stand still, as friends, we will not stand still," she stated.

Patriotic Alliance (PA) Member of Parliament, Ashley Sauls, who was one of the people in attendance, called for those responsible for Van der Merwe's death to be brought to book, adding that his death and that of prominent media personality, Warrick Stock, or DJ Warras, should not deter efforts to fight crime.

"It is very sad and tragic what has happened to Marius van der Merwe and DJ Warras. We are in solidarity with the two families. But what we should do as a country is not allow their untimely deaths to deter us or bring fear to us. We must stand for what is right," he stated.

Sauls said both the contributions by the two fallen heroes are an indication of the changes the country needs to take in its fight against crime and corruption.

The police described Van der Merwe's murder as a cold-blooded killing.

During his evidence, delivered in-camera partly, Van de Merwe alleged that suspended EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi had instructed him to dispose of the body of Emmanuel Mbense, who died during an interrogation allegedly involving tubing at the hands of police officers.

Mbense was allegedly brutally killed on April 15, 2022, and his body was discovered the following day in the Duduza Dam in Nigel, Ekurhuleni, while his car keys and driver’s licence were in his pocket.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za