National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola says the police have identified three persons of interest that they believe can assist in solving the murder case of Marius Van Der Merwe.
“We are closing in on these suspects as our investigations reach a very advanced and sensitive stage,” General Masemola said on Monday.
Addressing the media after visiting the family of Van der Merwe in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, Masemola said linked to the murder of Van Der Merwe, the police are investigating two other cases which is the murder case in Duduza and the attempted murder of Van Der Merwe in September 2025 in which he indicated that there were two white males that were following him in a Mahindra Bakkie.
“We are still looking for the murder weapon that was used in the commission of this crime,” the Commissioner said.
The possible motive for the murder is still under investigation. Additionally, the police have found a vehicle they believe was used in the commission of the crimes.
“At this stage, we do believe that the white Chevrolet bakkie that was abandoned in Alexandra township, right here in Johannesburg fits the description of the vehicle that we have been looking for,” he said.
According to a police preliminary investigation, the vehicle was abandoned on Saturday morning by two men, just hours after Van Der Merwe was shot and killed on Friday evening.
“Our crime scene experts as well as our vehicle crime investigation unit were at the scene in Alexandra where the car was found. The car was found on a gravel dead end road, amongst shacks. We have taken the car to our forensic laboratory for further analysis.”
Van der Merwe was a Brakpan-based security industry member and former Ekhurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department official. He was shot multiple times in full view of his family outside their Brakpan home.
Van der Merwe had testified at the Madlanga Commission as Witness D.
Prior to visiting the Van der Merwe family, Masemola visited the Saulsville mass shooting scene west of Pretoria.
READ | Police Commissioner to visit Saulsville mass shooting scene
Masemola said the investigating team is confident that there will soon be a breakthrough in the case.
“We are still investigating the motive of this incident, we do have an idea of what may have led to this incident, however intelligence is still gathering and analysing information that has been received.
“We have registered 12 counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder cases. We have also charged the owner of the room who is one of the injured and is in hospital for operating a tavern without a valid liquor license,” he said.
In the Saulsville incident, police confirmed that 11 of those shot suffered fatal injuries, with the latest victim having succumbed to injuries while being treated at Kalafong hospital where all the victims had been taken to.
Among the dead are a three-year-old and a 12-year-old child. The 14 others that were injured and are being treated in hospital.
The Commissioner said three suspects are still at large, but the detectives and uniformed police are working around the clock to find the killers. – SAnews.gov.za
