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Defence witness disputes link in Matlala trial hospital evidence

Published

Professor Gert Saayman told the Joburg High Court that little substantive basis exists to link Musa Kekana's earlier hospital admission to his later condition of coughing up blood. He finished his testimony on Monday.

Saayman testified for the defence in the attempted murder trial of Vusumuzi "Cat" Matlala. His evidence forms part of a trial-within-a-trial over whether evidence obtained on the day of Kekana's arrest is admissible. Kekana is accused number one.

Saayman questioned why blood alcohol results were missing. He said they could have shown whether Kekana was acutely intoxicated during the earlier admission. He also said Kekana's alcohol use during the 4 March hospitalisation does not necessarily prove that intoxication directly caused his condition.

State witness Dr Pooja Panicker said Kekana was admitted after taking alcohol and cocaine. She said he lost consciousness and suffered respiratory failure, and doctors had to intubate him. Kekana says poisoning caused his condition, not drugs and alcohol.

Matlala, Kekana and three co-accused face 25 charges in total. These include 11 counts of attempted murder.

Key facts

Who
Gert Saayman (Defence witness, professor, testifying in the Matlala trial); Musa Kekana (Accused number one in the Matlala attempted murder trial); Vusumuzi Matlala (Accused in the attempted murder trial, known as 'Cat' Matlala); Pooja Panicker (State witness, doctor)
What
In the attempted murder trial of Vusumuzi "Cat" Matlala, defence witness Professor Gert Saayman disputed a link between accused number one Musa Kekana's earlier hospital admission and his later condition, and questioned the absence of blood alcohol results. Saayman concluded his testimony on Monday. The testimony forms part of a trial-within-a-trial over the admissibility of evidence obtained on…
When
2 November 2026
Where
Joburg High Court
Status
Reported

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