‘Out of line’: Bizarre reason for no broadcast of Meyiwa trial [watch]

Social media users are not impressed with the latest developments in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial following Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela’s decision to bar three media houses — SABC, eNCA and Newzroom Afrika — from live-streaming in court on Tuesday 13 September.

According to reports, Judge Maumela ruled that no photos or videos of witness Tumelo Madlala should be taken in order for him to recover from being intimidated by journalists this morning at the Pretoria High Court.

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CHOAS AT MEYIWA TRIAL BEFORE TUMELO MADLALA COULD TESTIFY

Tumelo Madlala is the late Senzo Meyiwa’s friend and one of the witnesses present in the house when the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper and Bafana Bafana captain was slain. Meyiwa was gunned down on 26 October 2014 in Vosloorus at the house of his then-girlfriend and singer Kelly Khumalo’s mother.

When Tumelo (who is a state witness) arrived on Tuesday morning, he was approached by journalists for an interview before he could make it to the courtroom.

In a video posted on Twitter, the journalists can be seen chasing him through the corridors and hounding him for answers as he tries to find the courtroom.

Take a look…

This angered prosecutor Advocate George Baloyi, who informed the court about the incident, SowetanLIVE reported.

“They come knowing…this kind of behaviour…would have been deliberately staged. I’m one of the proponents of the public interest…but never at the expense of the proceedings that run in court,” Maumela said in response.

He then ordered the three media houses to leave the courtroom.

TWEEPS LASH OUT

Twitter users — who were eagerly anticipating to watch Tumelo’s testimony as he tells the court what transpired the night Senzo Meyiwa was murdered — lashed out at the journalists.

“What was done by the media this morning at Senzo Meyiwa witness in court was truly unnecessary, now we are unable to watch the proceedings of case because of their impunity behaviour,” one tweep wrote.

“So these journalists wanted to force answers out of the witness answers that are meant for court!!! Why not wait until he’s done testifying,” read another tweet.

For live updates of the Senzo Meyiwa trial, follow @TheSAnews on Twitter as journalist Nokwanda Ncwane live tweets from the Pretoria High Court.