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Silence broken: testimony reveals chilling final hours of Emmanuel Mbense
A body in a dam and a family’s long wait for answers
On 16 April 2022, his body was discovered in Duduza Dam in Nigel. It was the body of a 51-year-old father of five, Emmanuel Mbense. His car keys and driver’s licence were still in his pocket. His death certificate recorded blunt force trauma to the head.
For three long years, his family lived with unbearable questions. Who attacked him? Why was he left like that? What happened in his final hours? Those questions hung in the air without answers, and their grief never had a place to settle.
The moment a hidden truth surfaced
Everything changed at the Madlanga Commission when a man known publicly as Witness D stepped forward. His name is Marius Vlam van der Merwe. In his in camera testimony, he said Emmanuel was tortured and that he himself was ordered to dispose of the body in the dam.
The Mbense family listened as the details came out one by one. Emmanuel’s older brother, Nhlanhla, said they had to relive the pain they had been trying to survive. Hearing what was done to their brother felt like a fresh loss.
A witness murdered, and a case reignited
Just days after giving testimony, van der Merwe was shot dead in front of his wife and children. Police believe the attack was a hit. Investigators located the vehicle used and confirmed that three persons of interest have been identified.
The killing of the key witness only deepened the urgency. The family could not stand back and hope for movement. They needed help that would push for progress.
AfriForum steps in as pressure builds
The Mbense family reached out to AfriForum’s private prosecution unit. Its head advocate, Gerrie Nel, has written to Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Jennifer Ntlatseng demanding clarity and speed.
IPID has indicated that arrests are imminent. The unit is also expected to explain why the case was not finalised sooner and why the family had to wait for so long without answers.
A community watching and a family refusing silence
South Africans following the story online point out how many families in similar situations never get justice or even a proper investigation. The Mbense family says they are determined to make sure Emmanuel is not forgotten.
A father of five should not disappear under the surface of a dam only to become another cold file. His loved ones are holding on to hope that the truth will finally find its way into the open and that those responsible will face the consequences.
Their fight continues.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Maroela Media
