Both the media and the Western Cape Directorate for Public Prosecutions (DPP) got a lashing in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday — the media for sensational coverage of the shoplifting case against the son of Cape Town mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo, and the directorate for incompetence.
Anele Mfeketo (24) made his second appearance before magistrate Abigail Juries, following his arrest in May for allegedly shoplifting potato crisps, fruit juice and maize meal to the total value of R37 at the V&A Waterfront outlet of Pick ‘n Pay.
The case was postponed, and Mfeketo, who is out on his own recognisance, was warned to return on January 30.
Prosecutor Nyati Nolundi said the case was on the roll for a DPP decision, following representations from defence attorney William da Grass for the withdrawal of the charge.
However, no decision had yet been made, she told the court.
Da Grass said the local DPP in fact claimed not to have even received the representations.
He said his recent experiences with the DPP in other matters showed that its ”left hand does not know what the right hand is doing”, and for this reason there was no guarantee that a decision would have been made by January 30.
He said in an unrelated case he had even had a registered letter, addressed to the DPP, returned unclaimed.
In a murder case, it had taken the DPP two months to decide the venue of the trial.
Concerning the media coverage, Da Grass singled out the Daily Voice and Cape Argus newspapers, for sensationalising the fact that Mfeketo is the Cape Town mayor’s son.
Da Grass said Mfeketo is an adult, no longer under parental control, ”and the fact that he is the mayor’s son has absolutely nothing to do with the case”.
If the sensational news coverage continues, the defence will ask for the media to be excluded from the proceedings, he said.
Juries said she can only request accurate and responsible reporting, but due to the media’s constitutional right to freedom of the press, she cannot ban reporters from the proceedings. — Sapa