The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumes today, Tuesday, 3 June 2025, in the Pretoria High Court, with continued focus on the availability and reliability of vehicle tracking data.
What to expect from the Senzo Meyiwa trial today
This information is central to the defence’s case, particularly in relation to allegations that some of the accused were assaulted during their arrests.
On Monday, State prosecutor Advocate George Baloyi presented affidavits from police officials explaining that no Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) data could be retrieved for several police vehicles used in May, June, and July 2020.
According to the affidavit, a migration in the vehicle tracking system after 2020 meant that historical data from the older system could not be transferred or recovered.
The vehicles in question include those used by the Ekurhuleni team and the SWAT unit, among them a white Toyota bakkie driven by the late Sergeant Mabena.
Baloyi confirmed that the bakkie was not fitted with AVL technology, citing its use for intelligence work.
He also noted that a logbook for the vehicle used by Constable Sizwe Zungu, a key state witness, could not be located and that no historical data could be found for metro vehicles. Additionally, the affidavit did not include records for a red VW Golf, another vehicle considered important by the defence.
In response, Advocate Charles Mnisi, representing accused one and three, strongly criticised the use of affidavits to present this information. He argued that the authors of these affidavits must be called to testify in court and be cross-examined.
Mnisi maintained that the data, if properly searched for, might still exist with the original tracking service provider or leasing companies. He described the affidavit’s content as insufficient and insisted that without it, his clients would be denied a fair trial.
Mnisi was supported by Advocate Sipho Ramosepele, representing accused two, who also raised concerns about missing data and the diligence of the search. Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela clarified that while the court could not compel the presence of the affidavit authors, the defence was free to subpoena them at any point during the proceedings.
Later in the session, Mnisi resumed questioning lead investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda. It emerged that Gininda only obtained a formal statement from Constable Zungu in 2023—years after he initially implicated the accused.
Mnisi pointed out that when Gininda first made his case to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Zungu’s statement had not yet been submitted. Gininda acknowledged this, stating that other individuals had initially linked the accused to the crime, with Zungu’s input coming at a later stage.
Watch the Senzo Meyiwa trial live here
Today’s proceedings can be streamed live live below. Proceedings are expected to kick off at 10:00. The stream will be embedded below not later than 09:00.