THE Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has been postponed to 5 September for the continuation of the hearing.
The matter resumed briefly in the North Gauteng High Court on Tuesday, 2 August for the first four accused to reveal who their new counsel will be.
This comes after their lawyer, Advocate Malesela Teffo, withdrew on 12 July. He, however, made a submission to return last Monday, 25 July.
The proceedings began with instructing attorney TT Thobane rising in court to tell presiding Judge Tshifiwa Maumela that it was an error for the court to say accused one to four needed new counsel.
When asked by the judge why he called it an error, Thobane said that’s because he is still the instructing attorney for the accused.
Maumela said when Teffo withdrew, it was mandatory for the judge to ensure they had legal representation.
Thobane responded by saying the manner in which Teffo withdrew wasn’t good.
Maumela said climate or no climate, Thobane should have informed the court when he knew he wasn’t going to be present on 12 July.
Thobane said that his instructions are that he continues.
He also told the court that he has spoken to the state prosecutor, Advocate George Baloyi, that he will be applying for bail for the second accused, Bongani Ntanzi, before the trials resumes in September.
“Application for bail is a right available to everyone who wants to apply for bail. You should go ahead and see what you need to do about that kind of an application,” Maumela said, responding to Thobane.
Commenting on Teffo’s allegations that he bought a sangoma to court, the judge said he has a physician named Jesus.
“Even before I came here, I consulted my physician, when I leave here, I will consult my physician but my physician doesn’t make me better that anyone,” he said.
Speaking to the media outside court, Thobane distanced himself from the comments made by Teffo in his letter.
He said as Teffo has withdrawn from the case, anything else he says was not part of the case.
“As it stands, he has withdrawn so he is not part of this matter. Even if he has written the letter, it has nothing to do with me. I cannot comment on something that I have not written,” he said.
He also said Teffo can only come back to the case if the accused want him to do so.
“The accused told me to represent them today and that’s what I did,” he said.
