Unyielding Advocacy in the Shadow of Threats
Advocate Malesela Teffo’s days don’t end quietly. Representing the family of slain Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, Teffo has found himself in the firing line—not just from courtroom adversaries, but from shadowy threats outside the legal arena. He’s made it crystal clear: no amount of intimidation, not even threats against his life, will force him to abandon the fight for justice.
The death threats have piled on in recent months. According to sources inside his legal team, these threats escalated sharply after Teffo made pointed allegations about interference from the highest office in the country. What’s more disturbing is that one of these threats reportedly came from a junior colleague within his own professional circle—a stunning indication of just how charged and divisive the case has become.
For Teffo, the risks don’t stop at anonymous messages or menacing phone calls. In his words, it’s about something bigger—exposing rot within South Africa’s policing system. "No threat, no intimidation will stop me. I am here for justice," he said in an unflinching tone outside the courthouse. The legal veteran insists he’s not playing politics; he’s determined to unravel what happened to Meyiwa, both on the night of the fatal shooting and in the years since, as the investigation has dragged on.
Taking Aim at the Police and Political Elite
Teffo’s criticisms are sharpest when he talks about Police Minister Bheki Cele. He openly accuses Cele of undermining presidential directives and allowing the return of what he calls apartheid-style policing—an explosive charge in a nation still haunted by its past. But Teffo is specific: he claims that in September 2021, Cele threatened him directly, allegedly vowing violence if Teffo didn’t back off. The Minister has brushed aside such claims in public, but Teffo remains openly defiant. His willingness to publicly target such a powerful figure points to the depths of his resolve and the scale of the challenge he feels South Africa is facing in its justice system.
His allegations don’t just touch the powerful. Teffo’s campaign has highlighted failures and alleged corruption throughout the police force. He says officers have mishandled evidence, delayed justice, and sometimes appear to protect powerful interests rather than serve the public. The stakes are enormous—not just for him personally, but for public trust in law enforcement and political oversight across the country.
The Senzo Meyiwa case itself is a lightning rod for frustration. Meyiwa, a beloved national figure, was gunned down in his girlfriend’s home in 2014, and nearly a decade later, grief and anger simmer as the case drags on. The murder trial has been beset by setbacks, sensational claims, and now, direct threats to those seeking answers. Teffo’s tenacity is driving new attention not just to the crime, but to the system struggling to solve it.
For Teffo, his mission is simple, if dangerous: keep going. He says his sense of duty to Meyiwa’s family and to justice in South Africa outweighs any fear for his personal safety. That commitment, he insists, will not change, no matter who takes aim at him next.
