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ADVOCATE Malesela Teffo, who represents four of the men accused of murdering Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, on Monday asked the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to remove, popular documentary maker, Netflix, from the courtroom.

Five men are on trial for the murder of Meyiwa in Vosloorus in 2014.

Before the trial got underway on Monday, the State and defence teams for the accused met behind closed doors in Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela’s chambers.

This was to discuss an application previously brought by the State objecting to the line of questioning by Teffo during the cross-examination of the State’s first witness Sergeant Thabo Mosia.

However, as part of the defences response to the application, they also called for the removal of Netflix from court.
Back in court, Maumela said that Teffo raised an issue about the attendance of “Netflix” in court.

Advocate Ben Winks told the court that Netflix was not in attendance, but that Ten10 Films, a production house, is shooting a documentary for the streaming platform.

Winks also informed the court that Teffo did not alert them to his application and argued that Teffo’s request should have been in the form of a substantive application.
Winks told the court that his client was a production house and should be regarded as a media house.

He added that Ten10 Films had applied and were granted access to film court proceedings along with several other media houses.

Winks said that if Teffo wanted the production house removed from the court, evidence should be provided as to why their rights should be limited.

Teffo first claimed that Netflix was not a media house and was purely at court to turn a profit.

He added that the production house were not in court to inform the public.

Teffo said: Netflix is for rich people.

He also alleged that his witnesses were being intimidated and exposed before testifying in court.

Without substantiating Teffo also claimed that there was a racial issue which led to him wanting the production house ejected from court proceedings.

Netflix flighted a documentary on the Meyiwa murder before the trial started in the high court.

The State through Advocate George Baloyi claimed that the documentary makers had breached the sub judice principle.

Winks responded by giving case law which showed that documentary makers were also regarded as media houses.

He added that all media houses are a business and this alone was not grounds to eject his clients.

Winks also took exception to the fact that Teffo appeared to giving evidence as opposed to making legal arguments.

Winks argued that if evidence of wrong doing is brought before the court, he should be given the right to rebut the allegations.

In response Maumela said he cannot order anyone to leave the court room as he doesn’t have any evidence before him only claims from Teffo.

He added that there was also no confirmation on whether the documentary makers fell under the media or not. The court effectively dismissed the application to eject documentary makers. — News24