Brakpan – Wiandre Pretorius, a key figure mentioned during testimony at South Africa’s Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, was found dead on Saturday, 7 February 2026, at a petrol filling station in Brakpan on the East Rand.
The 41 year old was named by Witness D, Marius van der Merwe, during commission proceedings in November 2025. South African police said the death occurred in the presence of Pretorius’s partner, who is a police sergeant, following a dispute. Authorities have opened an inquest as investigations continue.
National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said police were still establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident. “According to reports, this deceased was driving with his friend. He called his fiancée to come to the garage. An argument ensued. So we are still investigating. But we can confirm that we have registered an inquest docket following this incident,” Mathe said on Sunday.
Pretorius’s death comes days after he survived an apparent assassination attempt in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday, 5 February, when his vehicle was attacked during an incident described by police as a targeted hit.
Van der Merwe, who implicated Pretorius before the Madlanga Commission, was later shot dead outside his home by unknown attackers on 16 December 2025, raising concerns about the safety of individuals connected to the inquiry.
Following Van der Merwe’s killing, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said security measures would be strengthened to protect witnesses and others mentioned during the commission’s hearings.
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