Netflix allowed to film Senzo Meyiwa trial in court

Streaming service Netflix has been granted permission to film the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.

The High Court in Pretoria made the ruling on Monday following an application by defence lawyer Advocate Malesela Teffo objecting to the attendance of Ten10 Films’ production crew.

Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela ruled that the production house which is behind the Meyiwa documentary be allowed to film the trial.

This after the defence cited the Netflix docuseries was exposing witnesses to harassment and intimidation. Teffo argued the production company did not care about informing the public and is only interested in making money.

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Teffo argued that Netflix documentaries sowed seeds of suspicion against some people.

“Ten10 Films/Netflix are benefitting from the death of Senzo Meyiwa. They are exposing our witnesses to intimidation. It has never happened in the history of our country that a documentary is filmed even before the court proceedings have started.”

However, Advocate Ben Winks, the legal representative for Ten10 Films, argued that the production company’s application to be part of the proceedings was approved by the court registrar.

“Documentary makers are media houses. My client is not relying on the general permission of other media houses. My client submitted an application to the registrar, and it was approved.”

The Meyiwa trial finally got underway last month after a number of postponements and almost eight years after the soccer player was killed while visiting the home of his then girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus in October 2014.

Five men are currently standing trial for the murder.

Meanwhile, Teffo says his legal battles will not affect the Meyiwa murder trial after his common assault and trespassing case was postponed.

Teffo made a brief appearance in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where his lawyer, Tshepo Thobane, requested that the magistrate presiding over the advocate’s case recuse himself.

After hearing the matter, Magistrate Bradshaw postponed Teffo’s case to July for submissions.

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