Police say the former Special Task Force member is so highly trained that he belongs in near-total isolation
By Mapaballo Borotho
Police have painted a chilling picture of alleged hitman Masipandile Sotheni , a man they believe is too dangerous to walk freely among the public.
Described as a hardened criminal, national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says Sotheni should not be housed in an ordinary correctional facility, but instead requires strict confinement under high-security conditions.
“He belongs in a high-tech facility, requiring 23-hour isolation,” said Mathe.
According to police, Sotheni needs to be completely removed from society and kept behind the walls of the eBongweni C-Max Prison in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal.
Sotheni, a former member of the South African Police Service’s elite Special Task Force, now stands accused of being the gunman behind the brutal killing of Madlanga Commission witness D, Marius Van Der Merwe.
His arrest has sent shockwaves through law enforcement, not only because of the nature of the crime but because of his past.
He made a brief appearance at the heavily guarded Brakpan Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 16 March 2026, where armed officers maintained a tight security presence both inside and outside the courtroom.
He faces charges of murder, premeditated murder, and three counts of conspiracy to kill Van Der Merwe’s wife and two children.
From elite officer to accused hitman
- He joined the South African Police Service in 2005 and moved to the elite Special Task Force in 2010.
- He later resigned in 2019 and transitioned into the private sector.
Mathe says his training is exactly what makes him so dangerous.
“It tells you that he would execute and eliminate Witness D on the spot because of the training that our Special Task Force members receive. So they knew that he was the best person for the job,” she said.
She described his arrest as both a loss and a necessary step for the police.
“It is quite an unfortunate day for us as the SAPS, having a former member of the SAPS being arrested on a very serious charge in relation to the murder of Witness D,” said Mathe.
“When you look at the cost that it takes to train a Special Task Force member, each member costs more than R1 million to train. It’s quite a loss for the SAPS. But at the same time, it’s good that we rid our organisation of corrupt and criminal elements that do not deserve to be in a blue uniform.”
A controversial exit
Following his departure from the police, reports in 2020 suggested Sotheni had joined a private security firm.
At the time, he claimed he had been victimised and forced out of the Special Task Force due to his role as a union representative, alleging he had challenged leadership within the unit.
Now, as the case unfolds, police remain firm in their stance: Sotheni is not just another accused, but a highly trained individual they believe poses a serious and lethal risk to the public.
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