Senzo Meyiwa Trial: Court Hears State Witness Doesn’t Want to Testify on Live TV Because She Has Anxiety

• The Pretoria High Court heard arguments from the state and defence regarding a witness' application for a media blackout
• The state told the court that the witness has anxieties and should be allowed to testify as she wishes
• Meanwhile, the media's legal representatives rubbished the state witness' claims

PRETORIA - The much-publicised Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumed on Wednesday, 17 May, with an application from a state witness requesting her testimony not be televised.

The witness, who has not been sworn in yet, was at Kelly Khumalo's mother's house the night the soccer star was murdered. The Pretoria High Court heard arguments from the defence, the state and the media's legal representatives.

State says witness does not want to testify on camera because she has anxiety

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State prosecutor George Baloyi argued that the state witness should be allowed to testify in a manner she is most comfortable with.

According to TimesLIVE, Baloyi explained that even though the witness is a performing artist, she has anxieties like ordinary people.

The prosecutor also argued that the witness wants to give her testimony in a less intrusive way, adding that she should be allowed to choose how she wants to testify.

The proceedings in the Meyiwa trial have been televised for over a year, but the media has been sensitive to the witnesses and their faces have not been shown.

The state witness stated that she did not want her face on camera and objected to an audio recording of her testimony.

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Media's lawyer says witness' request for media ban is based on a dream

According to SABC News, attorney Dan Rosengarten, a legal representative of the media, told the court the state witness' claims that she does not want to be recorded out of fear are baseless because she has been commenting about the case in the media.

Rosengarten also rubbished the application and stated that her application is based on a dream. The attorney referred to a social media post by the witness in 2021, where she said she had a dream that her family decided they did not want the media in court when they testified.

Rosengarten added that the witness had not given a reason why she was scared for her life. The attorney argued that the application should be dismissed and the trial should continue with live broadcasting.

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@AdvoBarryRoux said:

"At this rate Senzo Meyiwa needs to fight for himself. I don’t know how he’s gonna do this, but it’s the only option available. He needs to fight from the grave. #SenzoMeyiwaTrial"

@GodfreyNyalungu said:

"The defence has made valid submissions with valid points... It's up to Maumela now."

@kingscelo_05 said:

"If Baloyi wins this argument, let's all agree Khumalo family is now one of the families who're running this country cos Mr Baloyi's arguments are weak AF. #SenzoMeyiwatrial"

@4everSiya said:

"Just when you think it could not get any weirder..."

Meyiwa trial: Defence opposes new witness’ media blackout bid, claims witness gave evidence in Netflix doccie

Briefly News previously reported that the next witness due to take the stand in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case has requested that video and broadcast feeds be cut during her testimony.

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Meyiwa trial: Defence opposes new witness’ media blackout bid, claims witness gave evidence in Netflix doccie

The defence in the trial has rallied against the request, opposing the witness' claim.

The state brought the application in the Pretoria High Court on Monday, 15 May and claimed that because the witness is a well-known personality who performs from time to time, she did not want her testimony broadcast.

Source: Briefly News