The family of Emmanuel Mbense has thanked KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, saying his explosive 2025 media briefing paved the way for the Madlanga Commission, where they finally heard details of how Mbense was allegedly killed at his Brakpan home before his body was dumped in a dam.
The family said it was through the commission that they heard, for the first time, details of how Mbense was allegedly killed at his Brakpan home in April 2022 before his body was dumped in a dam.
The family spoke following Wednesday’s arrest of five suspects, including suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, in connection with Mbense’s murder.
The suspects are expected to appear before the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Mbense was allegedly tortured to death during an interrogation.
His body was later dumped in a river in Duduza, Nigel, on the East Rand.
Speaking to SABC News following the arrests on Wednesday night, Mbense’s family said they had been waiting for the suspects to be brought before the courts.
Mbense’s brother, Nhlanhla, said the family was relieved that justice was finally moving in the right direction.
“This has been long awaited from us, you know. At some point our faith was tested, where we felt like it’s never going to happen.
“But today the wheels of the justice system are turning in the right direction. First and foremost, I’d like to thank God, because without him I don’t believe we would have been here. Also, to thank Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, because had it not been for the press conference this 6th of July, where would we be?”
The killing was detailed at the Madlanga Commission, which heard allegations of a cover-up surrounding Mbense’s death.
The commission was established after Mkhwanazi’s July 6, 2025, explosive media briefing, in which he raised allegations of corruption, the shielding of criminal suspects and political interference within the police and justice system.
Evidence presented before the commission implicated the deputy chief in the alleged cover-up.
The late Marius van der Merwe, the owner of a security company who testified at the commission as Witness D, told the inquiry that Mkhwanazi was called after Mbense was killed.
Van der Merwe was shot dead outside his Brakpan home on December 5, 2025, weeks after giving explosive testimony at the commission.
He alleged that when Mkhwanazi arrived at the murder scene, he instructed those present to either dump Mbense’s body at a mine dump or in a river.
Van der Merwe told the commission that Mkhwanazi looked directly at him when giving the instruction, which he understood as a direction to carry it out.
Nhlanhla also thanked those who supported the family after Mbense’s death, including IPID investigator Nomsa Masuku and Captain Badirwang.
“I need to acknowledge the relentless work that Nomsa Masuku and her team have put in. I need to acknowledge Captain Badirwang, who pointed us in the right direction. Had it not been for him, we wouldn’t have met Nomsa.”
He said Masuku had worked tirelessly to ensure the case was investigated.
“Nomsa stood up from day one to ensure we fight this. If it wasn’t for them, we would have buried my brother. And this case would still be regarded as an inquest and not a murder case.”
Nhlanhla said the family was relieved after years of uncertainty.
“We are relieved that the wheels of the justice system are turning. We will obtain justice. There’s a lot of families who haven’t obtained justice for their loved ones.”
He said the family was grateful that those allegedly responsible would now face the legal process.
“We consider ourselves very fortunate that we can actually say, whoops, there’s the guy that murdered my brother. There’s the guy that murdered my father, you know. There’s the guy that left us with the trauma and the aftermath that we still have to deal with today.”
He said the family had been deeply affected by the circumstances surrounding Mbense’s death.
“And we have to deal with the fact, I mean, it’s not quite, it doesn’t happen every day when law enforcement officers walk into your home and take a life and try to bury it… We are very grateful to God and the support that we’ve been given from friends, family, not to mention the prayers that have been answered today. We’re very grateful as a family.”
Image: IOL Graphics
Reflecting on Van der Merwe’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission, Nhlanhla said hearing details of what allegedly happened to his brother had been painful.
“It wasn’t a pleasant moment. I mean, when you hear details like that pertaining to exactly what transpired. I mean, when I heard that testimony, I was literally, I was at home.”
“I mean, this is our family home where this happened. And I’m hearing a manner that I’ve never heard before.”
He said the testimony helped him understand details about the scene of the alleged crime.
“I remember this one time I came across him at the magistrate’s court in Brakpan and I commented on his bulletproof. I said, hey, that’s a cool bulletproof, and now to hear him speak and give testimonies to what transpired and now this is replaying. Now I’m starting to put the puzzles together.”
“When you mentioned broken tables. Now it goes back to manhood. I found that chair broken. Then it brings back, but that chair, that’s my great-grandmother’s chair.”
Nhlanhla said the events had left the family traumatised.
“Of course, we would have loved to know about this prior. But unfortunately, things transpired in the manner that they have.”
He said the family was saddened by Van der Merwe’s death but appreciated that he had spoken out.
“And it saddens us that Marius is no longer around because as much as he was involved, but we are grateful that he was able to stand up and say what transpired that night on the 22nd of April in 2022. It was wrong.”
“And he stood up and said, ‘I will speak out.’ We really, really appreciate that of him. And we’d like to express our gratitude to him for that.”
Nhlanhla said the family had approached several institutions seeking justice but felt they were ignored.
He alleged that Brakpan police station initially refused to open a murder case after Mbense’s death.
“I recall this was days after my brother’s passing. When we realised that this case is still being treated as an inquest. Whereas you’ve got facts. Cops were here. The cops were gone. My brother was gone.”
He said Mbense’s body was discovered in the dam the following day by fishermen who alerted authorities.
“We then, a few days later, went to Brakpan police station to say, but we need to report this as a murder case. It’s being treated as an inquest.”
Nhlanhla said the family was eventually assisted by Captain Badirwang, who connected them with IPID.
“With the first interaction I had with her, she was literally at our house the following day wanting to find out.”
He said the family had experienced intimidation from law enforcement officials but remained grateful for the support they received.
“We’ve been through a lot. And we are grateful that this day has come. At some point, we thought this day would never come. But we are very grateful.”
Nhlanhla called for justice to be served and said those responsible must face the consequences.
“Because as much as people speak and say they were there to torture my brother because they suspect he was involved in something, to us, we just see people who came into our house to come and rob our brother.”
Nhlanhla alleged that Mbense’s belongings, including vehicle papers and tools, were taken during the incident, saying the family believed the suspects had entered his home to rob him and ultimately took his life.
He said Mbense’s death had affected the entire family.
“And they robbed us of a brother. They robbed my mom of a son. They robbed his kids of a father.”
“The only remembrance that he has of his dad is through pictures and the stories we can relate to him, to her. And it’s a very somber part when it comes to that because they robbed us not only of his life, but a pillar of strength, an anchor for our family,” he added.
