Cameras dispute unresolved as axe trial starts

Axe-murder accused Henri van Breda is expected to enter a plea in the Cape Town High Court today.

But one of the issues that caused a postponement of his trial four weeks ago - the presence of video cameras in court - remains unresolved.

The 22-year-old's legal team has asked the Supreme Court of Appeal to overturn Judge Siraj Desai's ruling that the media be allowed to live-stream court proceedings.

• BREAKING: Van Breda drug charges withdrawnDrug possession charges against axe murder accused Henri van Breda and his girlfriend Danielle Janse van Rensburg have been withdrawn.

Van Breda is accused of murdering his mother Theresa, father Martin and brother Rudi in an axe attack in January 2015 at their home in Stellenbosch.

He is also accused of the attempted murder of his sister Marli, now 18, who escaped with a head wound which reportedly left her with retrograde amnesia.

• Van Breda goes to court to face drug chargesHenri van Breda was spotted walking briskly towards the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning. 

Van Breda's lawyer, Lorinda van Niekerk, said his legal team was now ready to do battle with prosecutor Susan Galloway.

Galloway told the court on March 27 that some state witnesses had said they would not testify if the trial were broadcast live.

Van Breda's defence argued that a live broadcast would impinge on his right to a fair trial because he would be intimidated by the presence of cameras.

Last month Desai was adamant that the case would not be postponed again.

Botha assured him that Van Breda was ready to plead.

Charges of dagga possession against Van Breda and his girlfriend, Danielle Janse van Rensburg, were withdrawn on April 11.

The couple were arrested with dagga in Table View in September but Janse van Rensburg told the court that the dagga found belonged to her.

"It took the intervention of the director of public prosecutions to withdraw the charges. He saw what my client has said all along, that it wasn't his dagga; that he was innocent of the charges," Botha said.