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Man at center of corruption scandal found dead
Wiandre Pretorius, 41, was discovered with a firearm at a petrol station in Brakpan, east of Johannesburg, late Saturday. Police suspect he took his own life following an argument with his fiancée, though CCTV footage is being reviewed to confirm the circumstances.
Ties to high-profile murder investigation
Pretorius had been named in the Madlanga Commission, an inquiry into police corruption launched after allegations that criminal networks had infiltrated government institutions. The probe focuses partly on the 2022 killing of Emmanuel Mbense, a witness whose death was allegedly orchestrated by officers.
Of the 12 individuals initially identified as persons of interest in Mbense's murder, only eight remain alive, police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe confirmed. The others, including Pretorius, died under violent or suspicious circumstances.
Pattern of deaths raises concerns
Three of the original 12 were killed in what Mathe described as "execution-style" attacks-one in 2023 and two in 2024. Pretorius himself reported surviving an assassination attempt last week, claiming his vehicle had been fired upon.
"The question is: are we dealing with a syndicate eliminating each other in relation to the Emmanuel Mbense murder? That is what our detectives are probing," Mathe told reporters.
Brig Athlenda Mathe, Police Spokesperson
Allegations and prior testimony
Last year, a witness identified only as "Witness D" testified that Pretorius-who had served as a police reservist-was involved in Mbense's death. The witness, later named as Marius van der Merwe, claimed he was ordered to dispose of a body tortured and killed by officers. Van der Merwe was shot dead three weeks after his testimony.
Pretorius had been questioned and had his firearms confiscated in connection with Van der Merwe's killing, Mathe said.
Police vow arrests amid ongoing probe
Mathe announced that "arrests are imminent" in Mbense's murder, following an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). The case is among several being examined by the Madlanga Commission, established by President Cyril Ramaphosa after a senior officer alleged widespread corruption within law enforcement.
