Madlanga Commission: Calls mount for tighter security for witnesses, whistleblowers

As calls mount for tighter security for witnesses and whistleblowers who appear at the Madlanga Commission, it’s yet to be seen how the commission will enhance its security operational plan.

The commission is under pressure to beef up security following the murder of former Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officer Marius van der Merwe on Friday.

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Van der Merwe testified in November before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry as witness D, implicating suspended EMPD acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi in the 2022 murder of a robbery suspect in Brakpan and an alleged cover-up.

At the weekend, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) of the police said that while extensive measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of witnesses and officials since the start of the Madlanga Commission, the need has been identified to heighten these measures.

It was also agreed that the commission’s security operational plan would be enhanced over the next few days.

But as the conversation around whistleblower safety has been reignited.

Advocacy group Defend Our Democracy’s Naledi Kuali said they want protections to be legislated.

“The shortcomings of the Public Disclosures Act have been ventilated time and time again. Civil society has come forward and shared what they think will happen if this legislation is not enacted, and we still see a delay.”

Meanwhile, NATJOINTS said it will give a briefing soon on the security changes that will be made.