On December 2, 2025, during court proceedings, police acted on intelligence indicating a potential threat to key participants. Three men—believed to be accompanying a defense witness—were removed from the public gallery, questioned, and profiled. No arrests have been made yet, but a formal case of conspiracy to commit murder has been registered and is under active investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS). Security has been significantly heightened around the trial, including for judiciary members, prosecutors, investigators, and court officials.
Proceedings were abruptly halted when SAPS received “solid intelligence” about individuals attending the trial specifically to identify opportunities for harm. The men were seized with electronic devices for analysis to corroborate the threat.
The plot allegedly targeted “key role players,” explicitly including members of the judiciary (such as presiding Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng), prosecutors, and investigating teams. National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe emphasized that measures are in place “to eliminate the threat as well as to protect and save lives.”
This unfolded amid testimony from defense witness Sifiso “Gwabini” Zungu, who challenged a key state witness’s account of events on the night Meyiwa was killed in 2014. The trial was adjourned to December 3 for further instructions from the accused.
The Meyiwa case—already plagued by delays, allegations of police coercion, and internal conflicts—has now drawn scrutiny over judicial security. SAPS is probing for additional suspects, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has previously described the investigation as a “total mess” due to competing police units.
