High Court Orders Transfer of Senzo Meyiwa Murder Suspect from Maximum-Security Facility

The Pretoria High Court has mandated that Mthobisi Prince Mncube be transferred from the maximum-security section of Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria to another facility.

Mncube, one of the five suspects in the trial concerning footballer Senzo Meyiwa's murder, has been held in the maximum-security section since December 2020. He claimed that being in "solitary confinement" compromised his right to a fair trial, leading to an emotional breakdown last month.

Judge Jan Swanepoel ruled that Mncube should be relocated to his original detention center, Sun City prison in Johannesburg, or another appropriate maximum-security facility.

The judge noted, “The fact that a person is awaiting trial in a so-called 'high profile' or 'critical' case is not, in terms of the standard operating procedures, a basis for the indefinite incarceration of that person in C-Max.

” He pointed out that other murder trials do not involve indefinite maximum-security confinement. He questioned why Mncube was treated differently from others in similar circumstances, adding, “ The question remains: what sets him apart from the others who are on trial in the same or similar matters but are not incarcerated in C-Max? That question is not answered in these papers.”

The judge approved Mncube’s transfer request, affirming that he would remain in a maximum-security facility and continue to face trial without prejudice to the state.

Judge Swanepoel also highlighted that “should he be moved from C-Max, his mental health may well improve with exposure to other prisoners and more normal conditions.” However, a similar application by Mncube's co-defendant Fisokuhle Ntuli was dismissed due to lack of urgency.