The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, in the Pretoria High Court, following a day’s delay due to the unavailability of a key state witness.
What to expect from the Senzo Meyiwa trial today
Proceedings are expected to continue with more testimony related to the identity of one of the accused, Mthobisi Mncube, and claims about a gold tooth allegedly seen in his mouth.
Earlier this week, the court was focused on cross-examination around whether Mncube, one of five men accused of the 2014 murder of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa, had a gold tooth.
A dental report presented in court created uncertainty on this point.
The report stated:
“The right upper canine is questionable for abrasion or marginal preparation; however, no gold inlay is currently visible in the mouth.”
The report also mentioned other dental features, including discoloured areas and missing teeth, but no clear evidence confirming a gold tooth.
This detail is critical because it connects to how witnesses described an intruder the night Meyiwa was shot at singer Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus.
Defence presses on gold tooth claims
During Monday’s session, defence attorney Sipho Ramosepele questioned Sergeant Moses Mabasa, a police officer involved in the investigation.
Ramosepele asked if Mabasa had consulted any dental experts before concluding that Mncube had a gold tooth. Mabasa admitted, “Correct,” when asked if he had no dental expertise available to him at the time.
Despite the new dental findings, Mabasa stood by his original conclusion, stating:
“I stand by my conclusion.”
The defence further explored whether photographs could have misled investigators. Ramosepele used a Samsung GTE 2220 phone as an example and asked Mabasa if the image from such a device could flip the position of the tooth.
Mabasa said:
“No, it would not change. If the tooth was on the left upper jaw, it will remain there. The picture itself will not change.”
State witness to return
After Mabasa’s cross-examination concluded, the state announced that Brigadier Bongani Gininda, a key witness in the trial, was not available on Tuesday. Gininda is expected to return to the witness stand on Wednesday to continue with his testimony.
Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, representing another accused, confirmed that he had no further questions for Mabasa.
Watch the Senzo Meyiwa trial live here
The trial will be live-streamed, allowing the public to follow proceedings as they happen. The focus is likely to shift back to Gininda’s testimony, which forms a crucial part of the prosecution’s case.
Tune into live proceedings below:
