State to update court on cellphone mapping in Madlanga witness murder case

The murder case against former SAPS Special Task Force member Matipandile Sotheni moved closer to a High Court transfer when the State told the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday that most cellphone-related forensic work has been completed, with mapping and plotting of cellphone data still outstanding.

Who is involved and what happened

Sotheni, 42, is accused of being the triggerman in the killing of Marius van der Merwe referred to as Witness D at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry who was shot dead outside his Brakpan home on 5 December 2025. Van der Merwe had testified before the commission in November 2025, implicating suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department deputy chief Brig. Julius Mkhwanazi in the alleged murder of Emmanuel Mbhense.

Forensic progress and outstanding work

The State told the court that it had completed the tracker reports and the cellphone downloads. The prosecutor said the only remaining work was the mapping and plotting of the cellphone data, and that the State expected that to be completed within six weeks.

The prosecutor also clarified the reason for an earlier postponement: “I just want it to be clear on record that when we postponed the case previously, it was not due to mapping as such, but because downloads had to be completed first. The mapping could not be done because the downloads took longer than we had anticipated.” The matter had previously been postponed on 30 July to allow investigators to finish the downloads, mapping and plotting.

Charges, arrests and related events

Sotheni was arrested on 14 March 2026 and faces 16 charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, ammunition-related offences and theft. The State alleges Sotheni conspired with Wiandre Pretorius to kill Van der Merwe. Pretorius later died by suicide at a Brakpan petrol station. Police said Pretorius had previously survived a shooting in which his vehicle was struck multiple times.

Legal representation and next steps

Sotheni has changed legal representation twice since his arrest; his most recent lawyer, Advocate Piet du Plessis, formally went on record during the latest proceedings. Du Plessis told the court, “I confirm my attendance today on behalf of the accused. I will come on record from now on as the attorney of record on behalf of the accused.”

Once the mapping and plotting of cellphone data are complete, the State is expected to apply for the matter to be transferred to the High Court, where pretrial proceedings will begin ahead of a murder trial. Du Plessis urged the State to have the authorisation and indictment ready by the next appearance so the transfer can proceed.

Court timetable

The State and the defence agreed to a postponement until 9 September 2026 in the hope that the plotting and mapping would be finalised by then.