Commerce honours student accused denied bid to skip Matlala trial

From left, Musa Kekana, Tiego Floyd Mabusela, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, his wife Tsakani Matlala and Nthabiseng Zandile Nzama in the dock of the Johannesburg High Court on Monday An accused in the Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala trial asked to be excused from court while evidence that does not concern her is heard, so she could focus on her studies. Judge Cassim Moosa refused the application in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday. Nthabiseng Zandile Nzama, the fifth accused, is charged in only three of the 25 counts before the court, all relating to money laundering.

Her counsel, Advocate Timothy Chauke, applied under the Criminal Procedure Act for her to be absent and for her affidavit to be entered into the record. In it, Nzama said she was enrolled at Stadio Higher Education for an honours degree in commerce, and that the trial was taking up too much of her time. “The lengthy duration of this trial, together with the daily travel between Pretoria and Johannesburg, consumes the greater part of each weekday,” she said.

“By the time court adjourns and I return home, I am physically and mentally exhausted, leaving little or no meaningful opportunity to devote to my academic responsibilities.” She said much of the evidence had nothing to do with her. “My continued attendance during evidence that does not implicate me serves no practical purpose and places an unnecessary burden upon me without advancing the interest of justice,” she said. Nzama said she was not trying to avoid her trial, that her legal team would remain in court throughout, and that she would return the moment any evidence touched her.