Van Breda trial plays like a tennis match
Defence lawyer serves, volleys while witness lobs back answers
DAY FIVE of the Henri Van Breda trial could be described as a tennis match between defence lawyer Matthys Combrink and State witness Lorenzo Afrika at the Western Cape High Court.
Afrika, now in an administrative position, worked for Thorburn security on the De Zalze estate at the time of the murders.
Combrink repeatedly volleyed questions regarding security and patrol routes at the estate. Afrika had moments of frustration at the repeated questions, but kept his cool and answered what was asked of him.
Combrink inquired about the routes that Afrika would take and if weather would have an impact on security. Afrika explained that sometimes the alarm system would be tripped by a frog or a branch, but that would be picked up in the control room, and he would have to be dispatched to the area where the alarm went off.
Combrink asked Afrika about the cameras, to which the witness replied that there were fixed and mobile cameras on the estate. Afrika explained that at the camera points he would radio to the control room to ask if they could see him.
After testing the cameras he would go to the control room and view the footage there.
The De Zalze estate had it’s own security zones which made it easier to secure, and the witness said that each disturbance in a zone would see him walk along the estate from one zone to the next.
Afrika also highlighted what he called a bloodhound patrol – which would require going to marked points around the estate that he was patrolling and log in that he was at that zone.
Combrink had questioned Afrika about the length of a patrol, to which he responded that it took an hour. Combrink pointed out a discrepancy, saying that his earlier testimony said that it took two hours.
Afrika confirmed that his initial statement was correct and that on that night it took roughly two hours to do his patrol.
Combrink revealed that according to the security notes of the night of the murders, three alarms went off, but Afrika said that he was not told about them. He repeatedly stated that while on duty on the night of the murders, no alarm went off, otherwise he would have been dispatched to the area to check out the disturbance.
Afrika explained that his five rounds on the estate consist of three car patrols and two inspections. He said that if an alarm would go off, he and his colleague would be notified.
Van Breda is accused of murdering his father, Martin, mother, Theresa and brother, Rudi, and attempting to murder his sister, Marli.