Media houses will use technologically advanced equipment to record Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial, the High Court in Pretoria heard on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Frank Snyckers SC, for MultiChoice and Eyewitness News, submitted that the equipment was not obtrusive and was controlled remotely.<\/p>\n
He said the media houses had secured the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) support.<\/p>\n
“The world’s eye will be on the criminal justice system, as it has been. Principles of open justice and right to freedom of expression are part of the right to a fair trial,” he said.<\/p>\n
“In fact, the trial judge can be given the means to deactivate the recording.”<\/p>\n
Pistorius is accused of killing his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February last year. His trial is expected to be heard in the High Court in Pretoria from March 3 to 20.<\/p>\n
Snyckers told the court that if granted permission to film the proceedings, MultiChoice would broadcast the full trial unedited. He said however “unconsenting witnesses” would not be filmed.<\/p>\n
The application to film the proceedings was brought by news channel eNCA. It was joined in the application by MultiChoice and Eyewitness News. A 24-hour TV channel dedicated to the upcoming trial would be launched on DSTV on March 2, a day before the former star athlete goes on trial.<\/p>\n
MultiChoice and EWN said it was proposing to use unmanned, remote-controlled high-definition cameras which would provide feed to all broadcasters.<\/p>\n
The NPA on Tuesday said it would not oppose the application. However, NPA spokesman Nathi Mncube said it did have a number of conditions. He would not say at the time what these were.<\/p>\n
Pistorius’s legal team is expected to oppose the media’s application.<\/p>\n
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