POLL | Is skipping a court day by advocate Mnisi insensitive to the Meyiwa family waiting for justice?

Defence advocate in the Senzo Meyiwa trial Charles Mnisi has been criticised for asking to be excused from court on Monday to allow him to participate in the Comrades Marathon on Sunday.

On Thursday, Pretoria high court judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng was furious after Mnisi sent an email explaining why he wanted to be excused.

Mnisi said he would be unavailable on Monday when the trial is set to resume as he would be driving back to Johannesburg.

“In this case, people are talking justice delayed, justice denied,” Mokgoatlheng said.

“Ten years, no justice, the case is just dragging on. The family is distraught, the brothers, the relatives, even the accused, they've been in custody for two to three years. And here's this stupid judge called Ratha Mokgoatlheng, you think, who must allow a person who's representing two of the accused [time off] to go and run a marathon?

 “I don't think a white advocate can have the gall to ask me that. Never.”

The trial has experienced significant delays since 2014, when Meyiwa was killed, due to various reasons including disputes over evidence, witness availability and procedural issues.

In April, the trial stalled again when the same advocate requested more time to prepare, citing the complexity of the case and the need for additional evidence.