Van Breda had a beer before going to hospital

Henri van Breda had a beer with the family of his sister's boyfriend before going to a hospital to have his wounds stitched.

He says he sustained the injuries when an axe-wielding man murdered his family and attacked him.

According to Michelle van Zyl, a doctor at Stellenbosch Mediclinic, Van Breda's manner was casual when he arrived at the clinic hours after the murders.

Last week Van Zyl told the Cape Town High Court that she could smell alcohol on Van Breda. The defence argued that that was because he had had a beer with family friends.

But his uncle, André du Toit, described Henri as emotional and said he broke down after his father Martin, mother, Teresa, and brother, Rudi, were found dead. His sister, Marli, was seriously injured and had been hospitalised.

• The two faces of Henri van Breda 

Du Toit is Teresa van Breda's brother.

On Tuesday he testified in the trial within a trial in which Henri van Breda's defence team is trying to prevent a statement he gave to police being admitted as evidence.

Du Toit said he saw Henri for the first time after the murders at James Reade-Jahn's home in Somerset West. Reade-Jahn had been dating Marli. Van Breda's then girlfriend, Bianca van der Westhuizen, was also at the house.

He described the gathering as "very emotional".

"We didn't talk a lot. Henri stutters and speaks very slowly. We just hugged and cried," he said.

Du Toit said he left Henri with Reade-Jahn's family because he had to take the family dog home and Henri wanted to be close to Welgemoed Hospital, where his sister was in a critical condition.