Brakpan, Gauteng — The shockwaves from the death of Wiandre Pretorius, a key person of interest in two of South Africa’s most explosive corruption cases, have now reached directly into the ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Sergeant Juan-Maré Eksteen, a member of the Benoni Flying Squad and Pretorius’s partner, is facing possible suspension as SAPS assesses her alleged links to the Emmanuel Mbense murder and the assassination of Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe, widely known as Witness D.
Pretorius, 41, died on Saturday, 7 February 2026, after sustaining a gunshot wound at a filling station in Brakpan. Police confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened and that detectives and forensic experts attended the scene.
His death comes amid intense scrutiny over his alleged involvement in the killing of Witness D, whose assassination outside his home sent shockwaves through the Madlanga Commission, particularly after SAPS conceded it could not compel him to accept protection despite clear threats to his life, as detailed in NOWinSA’s reporting on the Witness D murder.
A couple implicated in an alleged murder cover-up
Pretorius, a former police reservist with links to crime intelligence, and Eksteen were both implicated by van der Merwe during his testimony before the Madlanga Commission.
According to that testimony, Emmanuel Mbense, a 51-year-old father of five from Brakpan, was allegedly tortured and murdered in April 2022 by rogue members of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and private security personnel. His body was later found in Duduza Dam, bearing signs of blunt-force trauma.
Van der Merwe alleged that Pretorius and Eksteen were involved in the subsequent concealment of the crime. Weeks later, van der Merwe was assassinated — a murder in which Pretorius was identified by police as a primary person of interest, a development that later formed part of the broader Madlanga Commission police corruption revelations, including claims of syndicate links within the justice system exposed in the Madlanga Commission police capture bombshell.
SAPS confirms Pretorius was a person of interest
National SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that Pretorius was questioned following van der Merwe’s killing.
“In relation to Wiandre Pretorius, he was a person of interest in the murder of Witness D. He was actually the first person of interest that we took in for questioning. His firearms and cellphones were seized and remain in police custody for further investigation,” Mathe said.
“That investigation is still ongoing and is at an advanced stage. Gauteng detectives remain on the ground.”
Mathe also confirmed that police are investigating an alleged attempted hit reported by Pretorius days before his death, when his vehicle was allegedly riddled with bullets in Boksburg.
“Ballistic experts collected evidence and are examining it. We will provide feedback at a later stage,” she said.
Sources close to the investigation have since indicated that detectives are not convinced the alleged attack was genuine, raising further questions about Pretorius’s actions and state of mind in the days leading up to his death.
Suspension looms for serving SAPS Officer
The possible suspension of Sergeant Eksteen is now under consideration as SAPS evaluates both disciplinary and criminal dimensions linked to the Mbense case and the wider Madlanga Commission inquiry.
Eksteen was present at the scene when Pretorius died. Police have confirmed investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the filling station and statements from all relevant parties.
The potential suspension would mark a significant escalation — particularly as the commission’s work increasingly points toward systemic failures and the need for accountability, a stance reinforced after President Cyril Ramaphosa publicly backed immediate criminal prosecutions arising from the commission’s findings, as reported in the Madlanga prosecution push.
A growing trail of deaths
Pretorius’s death is the fourth involving individuals connected to the Mbense case. Three others linked to the matter were killed in assassination-style attacks, fuelling fears of witness silencing and obstruction of justice.
According to SAPS, 12 people were initially identified as persons of interest in Mbense’s murder. Only eight are still alive.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has completed its investigation into Mbense’s killing, with the docket now before the Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions.
A commission under pressure
As the Madlanga Commission prepares to resume its work, it does so under growing strain — dead witnesses, dead suspects, and now the potential suspension of a serving SAPS officer directly implicated in sworn testimony.
For the Mbense family, justice remains elusive.
For South Africa, the case has become a stark symbol of a justice system struggling to confront corruption within its own ranks, especially as further testimony has alleged that SAPS intelligence resources were used to facilitate other political assassinations, including the Sindiso Magaqa hit.
