Senzo Meyiwa trial: New judge says accused can reapply for bail

Senzo Meyiwa

• The new judge presiding in the Senzo Meyiwa trial said the five murder accused could reapply for bail.
• He said their applications would be heard in a separate court to prevent delays in the trial.
• The judge postponed the trial to Tuesday to allow the legal representatives to hold a pre-trial conference.

“You have the right to apply for bail. What happened in the past is the past.” 

These were the words of Ratha Makgoatlheng, the new presiding judge in the trial of the men accused of the murder of former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa.

Makgoatlheng said the five accused could reapply for bail because the court had nullified the previous trial.

He said they could launch their applications with a different court.

The case is taking place in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

Bongani Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Ncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli are detained at several prisons, including Kgosi Mampuru and Leeuwkop correctional service centres. 

Makgoatlheng said the accused needed to receive new indictments to inform them of the charges, so they could plead again. 

READ | Senzo Meyiwa murder trial postponed yet again as presiding judge falls ill

Four of the accused told the court they had received the new indictments on Friday.

Sibiya was the only one who said he had not received it. 

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Gauteng High Court Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, who had initially presided over the trial. 

In April, the Judicial Service Commission suggested that Maumela and Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi be suspended and that a Judicial Conduct Tribunal be established to consider complaints that they had failed to deliver numerous reserved judgments within stipulated timeframes.

The defence lawyer, advocate Zandile Mshololo, said the defence needed to engage the State on the evidence that would be presented in the new trial.

“Can I ask that we don’t take it for granted that the State will do everything the same? Can we be allowed to discuss the issues pertaining to a pre-trial conference with the State before we proceed to trial?” she said.

Makgoatlheng postponed the matter to Tuesday.