Three media houses barred from covering Meyiwa case after 'confronting' witness

Three media houses  — SABC, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika  — have been barred from covering the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial in the Pretoria high court for the day.

The order by judge Tshifhiwa Maumela on Tuesday comes after journalists from the media houses approached the state’s witness, Tumelo Madlala, before he could make it to the courtroom, for an interview.

This angered prosecutor Adv George Baloyi, who informed the court about the incident and expressed his disapproval.

“It was reported that when the witness arrived at court, some members of the media literally charged at him with cameras, wanting to take his photo. This has petrified and unsettled the witness. While we support the media coverage of the proceedings, the events of this morning are simply unacceptable,” Baloyi said.

He added that Madlala had to run and find refuge in one of the rooms in court just to avoid the cameras.

Baloyi requested that the court tightens the guidelines that the media uses in covering the Meyiwa trial.

But Maumela would not have it.

“They come knowing...this kind of behaviuor...would have been deliberately staged. I’m one of the proponents of the public interest...but never at the expense of the proceedings that run in court,” Maumela said.

Maumela ordered that the three media houses leave the courtroom.

He then ordered that the three media houses should meet with the court manager to resolve the situation.

Madlala is the first witness who was in the house the day Meyiwa was killed in Vosloorus on the East Rand, to take the stand.

The trial continues.

dlaminip@sowetan.co.za