The charges against the accused involve the attempted murder of Matlala’s former lover, Tebogo Thobejane, a prominent television actress and influencer. During court proceedings, Matlala’s legal representative, Annetene van Heever, told the court that the defence was struggling to consult meaningfully with their client, who is currently detained at Ebhongweni Correctional Centre in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. She told the court that access is frequently limited to one or two hours, making it impossible to adequately prepare for pre-trial proceedings. Matlala’s constitutional rights ‘violated’Van Heever stressed that while the defence wants the matter to proceed expeditiously, ongoing restrictions are prejudicing Matlala’s constitutional rights. Before we can even reach pre-trial, we need full access to our client,” she told the court.