Witness D’s Murder - Whistleblower Protection Under Fire

It’s a story that shook the country. A key witness from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, known only as Witness D, was gunned down outside his Brakpan home, ambushed with an AK-47 after stepping out to open his gate. He had no state protection. His killing has pierced his anonymity and reignited urgent questions about how South Africa treats whistleblowers. Even President Ramaphosa says government must “redouble” efforts to keep them safe. Phemelo speaks to Public Interest SA chairperson, Tebogo Khaas, about what this brazen murder tells us about the risk of speaking truth to power in South Africa.