SOWETAN | Avoid more delays in Meyiwa trial

It has been close on 10 years since then Orlando Pirates captain and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot in the home of his girlfriend and singer Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus.

The nation and his heartbroken family have been yearning for justice in the matter since.

It took what must have felt like an eternity for the police to finally arrest people they suspect were involved in the murder and a trial is underway with five men accused of what is purported to have been a robbery gone wrong. 

In the lead up to where we are now, many theories have been bandied about regarding what actually happened in that house that fateful night in the presence of a room full of witnesses to the murder. Among the theories was that those who were with Meyiwa were involved in a cover up to hide the real story behind his demise.

We are where we are now but hope springs eternal that the ever slow-grinding wheels of justice will deliver eventually despite many, including some members of the Meyiwa family, declaring their distrust of the process. The trial itself has not been short of drama and sideshows that have done little to deliver the elusive justice.

In its early days, a man of the law in the form of Adv Malesela Teffo appearing for the defence made a spectacle of the trial, which included his arrest in court. 

Now another sideshow has added to the further delay of the trial with news breaking on Monday that a prominent state witness has asked for a blackout of live media coverage or broadcast of their testimony, which was about to begin. The party in question says they fear for their safety should their testimony be carried live on the airwaves but they, oddly, have no quibbles with the media covering their testimony otherwise.

It is a bizarre request that would have had the judge scratch his head. The defence lawyers opposed the special application and attorney Dan Rosengarten, who represented the media, urged the court to go the subpoena route should the witness carry out a threat not to testify if their wish is not granted.

However, we hope, in the spirit of a tenet of the law that requires that justice not only be done but that it also be seen to be done, that whatever the court decides on the sideshow doesn’t compromise the trial and delay it further.