Proceedings in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resume today, Tuesday, 27 May 2025, at the High Court in Pretoria.
What to expect from the Senzo Meyiwa trial today
The court is expected to continue hearing testimony from a representative of the Legal Practice Council (LPC), following questions over the legal status and credentials of a lawyer linked to the defence of accused number two, Bongani Ntanzi.
The court on Monday paused the cross-examination of lead investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda after advocate Charles Mnisi requested access to vehicle tracking data used in the arrest of accused number one, Muzi Sibiya.
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng ordered that information on the vehicles used in the arrest of all five accused be disclosed, leading to a temporary suspension of Gininda’s testimony.
In the meantime, the State called Philani Stanley Sambo from the LPC to verify the credentials of Advocate Dominic Mjiyako, who represented Ntanzi during his June 2020 confession.
Sambo confirmed that Mjiyako was admitted as an attorney in 2012 and was practicing as a director of his own firm, Mjiyako Attorneys INC, in 2020. Sambo added that although Mjiyako was listed as an attorney at the time, he later converted to advocate status in 2021.
Sambo further testified that a letter confirming Mjiyako’s professional status was issued in October 2023 and that his Fidelity Fund Certificate (FFC)—a document confirming his eligibility to practice—was valid and listed his firm correctly.
However, he also revealed that a systems glitch at the Legal Practice Council had once caused Mjiyako’s certificate number to be mistakenly shared with another legal practitioner, although he stated this had no bearing on Mjiyako’s qualifications or standing at the time of the confession.
This technical error became a central point during cross-examination, with advocate Sipho Ramosepele, representing Ntanzi, raising concerns about possible misconduct or irregularities in the LPC’s systems.
Ramosepele asked whether Sambo had encountered instances of legal practitioners colluding with staff to fraudulently obtain certificates. Sambo responded that he had no knowledge of such cases.
Ramosepele also stated in court that his client, Ntanzi, had never formally mandated Mjiyako to represent him, suggesting that the defence may pursue arguments about the legitimacy of the confession based on legal representation.
The court is also expected to revisit Mnisi’s request to recall Constable Sizwe Zungu, the state’s key witness who placed all the accused at the scene of the murder.
The State opposes this application but agreed that arguments over it should be delayed until the outstanding documents are provided.
Watch the Senzo Meyiwa trial live here
Today’s trial proceedings can be watched live below:
