It's as if motivational speaker and businessman Vusi Thembekwayo already knew what the verdict was.
It was the day he would know his fate in his domestic violence trial, and he came prepared in a navy-blue suit and his confidence seemingly at an all-time high.
Taking the stand on Friday at the Randburg Magistrate's Court, Vusi said he always knew he was innocent but wanted to go through the court process so that justice can take its course.
Magistrate Ms Louis handed down the judgment after the businessman and motivational speaker took the stand in the assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm case opened by his wife, Palesa Mahlolo Thembekwayo, in December 2021.
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The State had a chance to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, but in this case, there are some discrepancies because the complainant changed her statement from when they made the statement at Douglasdale Police Station to the testimony they gave in court, said Magistrate Louis.
However, it was a different case with Vusi whose testimony and statement were the same throughout, she added. Thus, he was found not guilty on the charge and was announced a free man.
With a huge smile on his face and a big sigh of relief, Vusi walk out of the stand.
Talking to Drum outside the courtroom, Vusi said this matter has made him realise that some things need to change, especially the process of the court and how he attended the matter for two years with a lot of postponement in between.
“I feel fine, I feel relieved. It’s one thing to be innocent and know you are, it is another for a court to say we know you are. It has been three years leading to this moment. I feel relieved. The past three years have not been easy, I do think that South Africans have a serious conversation about weaponising gender-based violence. We clearly have a problem, but we can’t weaponise it and I think there is a lot of that happening at the moment.”
He lauded the police, investigating officer and magistrate.
"The investigating officer who handled my matter did a thorough job and the Magistrate did a fair and thorough job as well.
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“In those first 14 months of constant postponements, I was frustrated. I would say to the ministry of justice that they need to help officers of the court to dispense justice more efficiently; it shouldn’t take this long. This case had a negative impact earlier, but I would say to you that I am blessed in a sense. I have been doing what I am doing for two decades, people know me. They knew me before I was married to my wife – me soon to be ex-wife – and that carried me through this experience. My partners were on my side.”
He says the direst impact of the trial on his life has been the constant long-distance travel, he was in Saudi Arabia and had to be in court. He was intentional about never missing a court date and going through the process because all people, including the rich and powerful, must understand that we are all equal under the law, he adds. "No one is special."
However, through traumatic and daunting experience the kids, who are mostly affected by it all, are thriving, says a grateful and relieved Vusi.
“The kids are happy, they are making jokes, everybody is happy. It has always been God who has been able to hold us through and I think, as a family, we have come closer. The nice thing about such things is they show you who you friends are. As a family, there is a lot more clarity but fewer, more meaningful relationship.”
