Rich and famous in the dock this year

Several court cases involving sportsmen, politicians and artists will make the news in 2015.

While Oscar Pistorius and Shrien Dewani's criminal woes and victories dominated headlines in 2014, several court cases involving sportsmen, politicians, artists and others are set to make the news in 2015.

One of the first cases for the new year will be that of former international tennis champ Bob Hewitt, 74, whose criminal trial starts in February. Hewitt, from Addo in the Eastern Cape, stands accused of raping or indecently assaulting three young women in the 1980s and 1990s when he was their tennis coach and they were aged between 12 and 16.

Another sportsman heading to court this year is former Protea cricketer Hershelle Gibbs, who was arrested for drunk driving in November after a car crash in Cape Town. The 40-year-old former batsman will respond to the charges in November this year.

The mystery surrounding the death of Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa will continue to be in the spotlight as police continue to track down his killer or killers. Meyiwa was shot in what police suspect was a botched robbery at the family home of Meyiwa’s girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo. However, unanswered questions about the murder continue to mount. Should any more arrests happen, this case is likely to take centre-stage in 2015.

And, just as everyone thought what was dubbed “the case of the century” was over, Pistorius’s legal battle is this year likely to head to the Supreme Court of Appeal, which will consider certain questions of law. In December the Pretoria High Court granted the prosecution leave to appeal its decision to acquit the disabled athlete of murder and find him guilty of culpable homicide, but denied the prosecutors leave to appeal his five-year prison sentence.

A number of politicians are also set to have their day in court this year.

The ANC's former chief whip, Tony Yengeni, will face charges of drunk driving and reckless and negligent driving when he appears in court in January. Yengeni was arrested in Cape Town last year when police allegedly spotted him driving erratically. This may feel like a bit like déjà vu for Yengeni, who was arrested in 2007 on similar charges, but he was acquitted after his blood sample was not sent for forensic analysis.

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema stole plenty of headlines in 2014; a trend likely to continue in 2015. The Pretoria High Court is set to determine whether or not a provisional sequestration order granted in 2014 will be made final when the matter returns to court in March. The South African Revenue Service applied for the order, claiming Malema owed the taxman R16-million in income tax, additional tax and interest.

Suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli is facing 12 charges relating to the 1999 death of Oupa Ramogibe, who married Mdluli’s love interest. Mdluli and former police officer Mthembeni Mthunzi face a host of charges, including intimidation, kidnapping and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Mdluli claims the charges are part of a conspiracy against him driven by senior police officers. He returns to court in June.

Mdluli is not the only one appearing in court for an alleged crime relating to a love interest. Thandi Maqubela is finally due to be sentenced in March for the murder of her husband, Cape Town acting judge Patrick Maqubela, who was found dead in his Sea Point, Cape Town apartment in 2009. She was found guilty of his murder in November 2013.

In Pretoria, Nico Henning is accused of conspiring to murder his estranged wife, Chanelle Henning. The 26-year-old mother was killed in a drive-by shooting after dropping off their child at a creche in November 2011. The matter will return to court in January.

Artists are also scheduled to appear in the dock.

Internationally acclaimed painter and photographer Zwelethu Mthethwa stands accused of bludgeoning 23-year-old sex worker Nokuphila Kumalo to death in April 2013. He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is expected to get underway in Cape Town in June.

The trial of Kwaito musician Sipho Ndlovu, or “Brickz”, is due to start in March. He is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl at his Johannesburg home in 2013.

Other high-profile cases set to continue this year include the trial of George Louka, who was charged with the murder of Teazers boss Lolly Jackson. The trial is set to start in January. In addition to murder, Louka is facing charges of money laundering and possession of stolen goods.

In another underworld-linked case, the trial of Czech Republic fugitive Radovan Krejcir will continue in April. Krejcir and his five co-accused are facing charges of attempted murder, drug dealing and kidnapping.

Thulani Cele, the man who allegedly murdered embattled First Tech chairman of Jeff Wiggill, will return to court in March. The 54-year-old businessman was found shot execution-style next to his Bentley in Soweto in 2013.