Talk of a case that has a knack of attracting drama and controversy.
What went down on Thursday will feed into the conspiracy theory frenzy that the Senzo Meyiwa murder case has come to be known for and, now by extension, the trial proceedings.
Couldn’t the police wait for the hearing to adjourn and do the arrest in an orderly and dignified manner, since the defence counsel is regarded as an officer of the court?
Is advocate Malesela Teffo a flight risk?
Normally police act high-handedly like this in cases of entrapment where they don't want to lose the edge of catching out a prosecutor or defence lawyer or magistrate red-handed.
Isn't this impugning the authority of the presiding judge in his courtroom? Isn't the behaviour of the police a slight on the decorum and etiquette of the court? And in a way bringing the administration of justice into disrepute?
Where do these insolent and arrogant cowboy antics come from, and how do they insidiously creep into and taint a court in session?
Whatever the court of public opinion thinks of Teffo's performance so far in this case, South Africa is not a police state. It is supposed to be a constitutional state.
But here we are!
Whatever the transgression, the police shouldn't play the man whatever they think of his performance in court.
Would they have done the same to a white lawyer who failed to appear in court for an assault case?
Even if an accused person on bail defaults in appearing in court, a provisional warrant of arrest is issued and usually held over from execution until the next court appearance, within 14 days.
Politicians who allegedly steal millions of rand are simply asked to present themselves at the police station in the morning to be taken to court and bail is granted as a matter of course.
Only Teffo is subjected to Hollywood-style drama.
Author George Orwell, in Animal Farm, correctly sums it up when he says, “some animals are more equal than others”.
Mbatha is The Star’s news editor