The bail application of Mathiphandile Sotheni in the high-profile murder case of Madlanga Commission witness Marius "Witness D" van der Merwe has been postponed to Thursday, 21 May 2026

 


Charges against Mathipandile Sotheni are as follows:

Murder
Conspiracy to commit murder
Three counts of attempted murder
Unlawful possession of a firearm
Ammunition-related offences
Theft

These charges stem from the fatal shooting of Van Der Merwe at his home in Brakpan on 5 December 2025, an incident that unfolded in front of his family. The prosecution alleges that Sotheni did not act alone, claiming he conspired with Wiandre Pretorius and others to carry out the attack. The attempted murder charges relate to Van Der Merwe’s wife and two children, who survived the shooting. The state also detailed the circumstances surrounding Sotheni’s arrest in March 2026, when police discovered a licensed AK-47 rifle and a significant quantity of ammunition at his residence in Bassonia, Johannesburg. The authorities believe the ammunition had been stolen from SAPS. In addition, Sotheni was found with a licensed .308 calibre semi-automatic rifle containing four live rounds and three 9mm magazines – one of which had 12 rounds. Sotheni seeks bail, denies the charges, and maintains that he did not commit the crimes he is accused of.

The bail application of Mathiphandile Sotheni in the high-profile murder case of Madlanga Commission witness Marius "Witness D" van der Merwe has been postponed to Thursday, 21 May 2026.Sotheni, a former SAPS Special Task Force member, appeared in the Brakpan Regional Court today, Monday, 18 May 2026, where his affidavit was read out. He denied involvement in the December 2025 drive-by shooting, claiming he only learned of the killing via news reports and accusing the late police reservist Wiandre Pretorius of approaching him to "fix a problem."The state continues to oppose bail strongly, citing the seriousness of the charges which now include 16 counts and the strength of evidence such as cellphone tracking and vehicle links. Proceedings are set to resume on Thursday, 21 May 2026 for further hearings.Sotheni remains in custody.

Police investigations are on going.

REMEMBER keep your eyes peeled and report ALL crime.

If you know anything about this case or any similar crimes, Kindly consider to do the right thing.

Call SAPS Crime line 086 00 10 111 OR download The My SAPS App. It's FREE and you could save a life.
Teach your children how to use The My SAPS App.
You can aslo call or visit your local police station.
Call 10 111.
#MySAPSApp. #WANTED #murder #StopGBV #NoBail #ChildRape #StopRape
Twitter X: @cbdoilRSA
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For the full story click on the link : http://ercwn.blogspot.com

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