The Senzo Meyiwa trial resumed this week in the Pretoria High Court and is being broadcast live, allowing our readers to follow the proceedings below.
Senzo Meyiwa Trial Resumes with Public Broadcast and Allegations of Abuse
This murder trial is about the 2014 killing of well-known South African soccer player Senzo Meyiwa. Five men are facing charges related to his death.
Court proceedings were delayed on Wednesday morning when three of the five accused were late. One of them, Fisokuhle Ntuli, refused to leave his prison cell, saying he had been mistreated.
He told the court he had been denied calls, had his blankets taken away, and was forced to bathe in cold water.
“I have been tortured,” Ntuli said in court.
A correctional services official denied these claims, but Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng allowed Ntuli to choose where he wanted to be imprisoned. Although the judge noted he legally cannot make such orders, he said arrangements should be made for Ntuli to be moved by Thursday.
Earlier in the week, the trial focused on an inspection in loco, which is when the court visits a place linked to the case. This visit happened at a municipal building in Vosloorus on 4 July 2025, where one of the accused, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, says he was assaulted by police in 2020.
Sibiya’s lawyer, Advocate Charles Mnisi, requested the site visit. Sibiya led the court to a specific area and described how he was handcuffed, had a plastic bag placed over his head, and was beaten.
He claims as many as 14 officers, some in uniform and some in civilian clothes, took part in the assault.
State prosecutor Advocate George Baloyi placed the details of this inspection on the court record. Brigadier Bongani Gininda, the lead investigator who is accused of being involved in the assault, joined the inspection and disputed Sibiya’s claims.
According to Baloyi, Sibiya identified the scene near the Gold Sports complex, saying he was taken there twice, in May and June 2020. Gininda disagreed with parts of the timeline and pointed out different meeting spots. He also questioned whether the place Sibiya described was where the alleged events took place.
The court heard that Sibiya said he couldn’t clearly identify who assaulted him because his face was covered. Photos were taken during the site visit as part of the evidence.
Watch Live: Trial Continues Under Public Scrutiny
This phase of the Senzo Meyiwa trial continues to reveal new allegations, both about how suspects were treated and how evidence was gathered. The trial remains open to the public via live broadcast and you can tune in below.