The case of Matipandile Sotheni, accused in the murder of Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, has been postponed to 25 March.
Sotheni, 41, appeared before the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the December 2025 assassination.
Sotheni was arrested in Johannesburg on Saturday as the primary suspect in Van der Merwe’s killing.
The former reservist was shot on the driveway of his Brakpan home shortly after giving testimony before a commission, in which he exposed alleged corruption and misconduct within the justice system.
The state opposed bail, and Sotheni is expected to remain in custody until his next court appearance.
Authorities say he is believed to have been the individual who pulled the trigger on Van der Merwe.
SAPS spokesperson Athlenda Mathe provided insight into the accused’s background, emphasizing the seriousness of the case:
“Being arrested on a very serious charge in relation to the murder of Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, is deeply concerning. Let me provide some background on the accused who appeared this morning. Matipandile Sotheni is a former member of the SAPS. He joined the ranks in 2005 and in 2010 he joined the special task force. You would know that the special task force is the SAPS’s elite team, made up of highly trained and highly specialised members. It costs a lot to train special task force members, which makes it all the more unfortunate that a highly trained, specialised former member can appear in court on such a serious charge.”
Mathe added that Sotheni’s operational expertise may have made him a prime candidate for the alleged crime:
“They knew he was the best person for the job. He resigned from the SAPS in 2019 and, according to our investigation, then went into the private sector. It is quite unfortunate that our tactical operators are being targeted by private companies, by wealthy individuals, to protect and guard them. But now we see today they end up being involved in such heinous crimes.”
SATURDAY STAR