Advocate Malesala Teffo vowed not to walk away from the Senzo Mayiwa murder trial although he has received numerous death threats and his life is in danger.
Teffo called on those responsible for Meyiwa’s murder to be brought to book.
“I will never walk away, cautiously I have committed myself to justice, I love this country and it is my day wish to have this country being embraced by tranquillity, peace, justice and freedom,” said Teffo.
Teffo was speaking during a broadcast interview where he addressed his arrest and what he called a conspiracy to get him to get him off the trial, yesterday
He said the reason he joined the SAPS was that he wanted to be a guardian of peace, and protect citizens.
Teffo is currently representing four murder suspects in the case of slain soccer player Meyiwa said he loves South Africa, and wants justice.
Teffo said he was approached by Sifiso Meyiwa.
“I am not getting paid for this. My aspiration or involvement is to make sure that wherever Senzo is, is getting peace and if I will say I am getting threats then I must walk away, then who is not going to get threats,” asked Teffo.
He said he believed that the real murderers of Meyiwa are outside.
“The relevant people who should come and tell the court what happened on 26 October 2014 are still outside, they are free, they are not in cold places like correctional centres like my clients are now suffering for nothing,” Teffo said.
Teffo had a message to whoever is trying to threaten him with death.
“We all have an appointment with death, one day we are all going to perish. If I walk away from my commitment from the vows that I have made with my own God… to say let there be justice to the Meyiwa family and my clients,” he said.
Teffo, a former policeman, believes he is targeted by Police Minister Bheki Cele, a ‘beef’ which he said dates back as far as 2020.
“About 60% of people who are in jail are innocent. Even myself I have been in jail taken in by police by the order of Cele and the head honchos in the police. From 22 until 27 July 2020 I was in Johannesburg Correctional Centre (Sun City) then I came out with bail for nothing because I am a threat to the so-called corrupt and racists in the SAPS in Gauteng,” said Teffo.
He said he is being called by names that are not even in his ID book.
“Cele called me by a problematic advocate and the enemy of the state. Yes I agree I am a problematic advocate to the people who are corrupt, to the racists. I am not the enemy of the state but the enemy of the corrupt people within the state,” Teffo said.
On 28 April Teffo was arrested for contempt of court while in court, he was released with R10 000 bail which he confirmed that the public paid it because they loved him
During the arrest, Teffo said Cele was responsible for his arrest in an effort to get him out of the trial.
“This dates back to 22 July 2020 where I was arrested from the provincial office of Johannesburg while I was representing SAPS who had been dismissed, I phoned Cele and told him I did not know the reason for my arrest, Cele told me to speak to the then acting provincial commissioner, the late Major General Ndlovu t so that I can understand.
“Cele was not happy with my involvement in this matter (Meyiwa). One thing I know for sure, there was a person that tipped me that the minister was not happy with my involvement in this case. The reason Cele became the minister of police today, he used Meyiwa’s murder to campaign that if he be appointed, he would crack the murder case. Cele is under pressure to deliver because he promised President Cyril Ramaphosa that he would deliver,” Teffo said.
Ndlovu died last week in what is reported to be a mysterious way and Teffo said he was heartbroken.
The NPA said Ndlovu is not regarded as a crucial witness.
After Teffo’s arrest, while doing an interview with a broadcaster, Cele said he was shocked to hear allegations that he was behind his arrest.
“Ministers are not aware who is going to be arrested and not arrested. I had no knowledge of Teffo or anybody who was arrested,” Cele said.
Teffo said God willing he hopes the trial will resume on 30 May.
He said the state has about 118 witnesses, and about 12 were said to be in a safe-house because they feared that their lives were in danger,
“So far the state has 130 witnesses, and it is for the state to bring it;s evidence against our clients. I don’t know if the 139 will see their date in court but one thing I know is that the trial must be extradited,” he said.
Police declined commenting on Ndlovu’s death saying he had retired in 2021.