No hot water to bath in prison, accused in Meyiwa murder trial tells court

Two of the men standing trial for the murder of Senzo Meyiwa have told the Pretoria high court that they do not have hot water to bathe at Kgosi Mampuru prison, where they are kept.

When proceedings got under way on Tuesday, advocate Charles Mnisi, representing Mthobisi Mncube, raised concerns that there has been no hot water in prison since the cold winter weather set in.

Mnisi said Mncube has not been able to bathe since Thursday.

“He says if these conditions continue then he will find it hard to come to court or to even instruct me,” Mnisi said. 

He said his client was told he would have to choose to bathe with the cold water at his own risk.

Mnisi raised concerns that Mncube has an injury on one of his arms and the conditions in prison worsen the pain.

Further, Mnisi said Mncube complained about his incarceration in solitary confinement at C-Max.

Mncube complained that he is unable to communicate with his family.

“He is in a no-man’s-land kept alone,” Mnisi said.

Mnisi said officials at the prison said he is incarcerated there because of this trial. 

Advocate Zandile Mshololo said her client Fisokuhle Ntuli, who is in the same prison, faces a similar problem and may also not be able to attend court.

State prosecutor George Baloyi said he will make efforts to discuss the matter with Correctional Services.

Meanwhile, forensic supervisor at Vodacom Pinky Vythilingam is still on the stand testifying about a section 205 procedure she did on Mncube's phone, which shows all calls made and received by the number, when and where they were made.

Last week, Vythilingam confirmed that a SIM swap was done on Meyiwa's phone hours after he was fatally shot on October 2014.

Meyiwa was with his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo at her mother Ntombi’s home in Vosloorus. They were relaxing over lunch and watching a soccer match with Kelly’s sister Zandile, Zandile’s then-boyfriend Longwe Twala and two of Meyiwa’s friends, who were visiting from KwaZulu-Natal. The occupants of the house told police that two robbers entered, demanding cash and cellphones, before Meyiwa was shot in a scuffle with one of the intruders.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya‚ Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi‚ Mthobisi Prince Ncube‚ Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli have pleaded not guilty to murdering Meyiwa.

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