During ongoing High Court proceedings in Pretoria, Advocate George Baloyi, representing the State, revealed that Bongani Ntanzi — one of the accused in the murder trial of former Senzo Meyiwa — was linked to more than 1,700 phone calls with his girlfriend while in custody.
Baloyi raised the issue during a tense cross-examination, challenging Ntanzi’s earlier claim that his cellphone had been confiscated by police following his arrest in June 2020. According to the State, 1,718 calls were exchanged between Ntanzi and his girlfriend, Lebo, despite her number not being saved in his phone contacts.
“You’ve indicated that Lebo’s number was not on your phone,” Baloyi stated, questioning the consistency of Ntanzi’s testimony.
Ntanzi responded that although the number was not stored in his phonebook, he had memorised it. He further claimed that Lebo would contact him after noticing activity on Facebook, prompting her to check on his whereabouts.
The revelation has intensified scrutiny in the high-profile trial, which stems from Meyiwa’s fatal shooting at his girlfriend’s home in Vosloorus in October 2014.
As proceedings continue, the credibility of witness testimony and the significance of cellphone evidence remain central to the case, which has gripped the nation for years.