Senzo Meyiwa trial | Mncube’s alleged gold tooth takes centre stage

The alleged gold tooth has become the latest flashpoint in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, with accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube, challenging the State’s evidence and insisting that he has never had a gold tooth fitted.

Mncube was cross-examined by State prosecutor Advocate, Dr Ronnie Sibanda, at the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, where the State continued to advance the theory that he is the dreadlocked gunman who fatally shot the Bafana Bafana captain in October 2014.

Sibanda took Mncube through a dental examination conducted on 18 June 2025.

The report notes what appears to be marginal preparation on one of Mncube’s upper canine teeth, a mark that could indicate that gold had previously been fitted there.

Sibanda also presented a photograph of Mncube smiling at the camera, which the State believes may show a gold tooth.

Mncube, however, disputes that interpretation, insisting that he has never had a gold tooth fitted anywhere in his mouth.

“With me, you never see it find anywhere in my mouth the marginal preparation since I never inserted a gold tooth,” Mncube said.

“But the doctor says this tooth on the upper side has lines seemly indicating marginal preparation,” Sibanda responded.

“I’ve never inserted a gold tooth. The doctor went to school specifically for this. He would have mentioned,” Mncube said.

Mncube also challenged the photograph itself, arguing that the mark identified as a gold tooth does not align with the upper canine highlighted in the dental report.

His defence team took issue with the State’s use of the photograph during cross-examination.

Advocate Charles Mnisi, who represents Mncube, objected to Sibanda using the image, arguing that police Sergeant, Moses Mabasa, had merely been asked to identify a photograph that appeared to show Mncube with a gold tooth, rather that confirm that it actually did.

Sibanda pushed back, relying on the testimony of State witness and KwaZulu-Natal inmate, Qiniselani Buthelezi, which the prosecutor said supported the State’s claim that Mncube had a gold tooth.

The exchange grew heated, with Sibanda urging Mnisi to stop using what he described as insulting language when addressing him.

Defence Advocate, Sipho Ramosepele, countered the argument, pointing out that Buthelezi had testified to living with Mncube in Kagiso for a period without ever seeing a gold tooth in his mouth.

Mncube went a step further, accusing police of effectively painting a gold tooth onto the disputed photograph.

While acknowledging that he remembers taking the picture, he insists that his teeth were all white at the time and that he did not have a gold tooth.

The courtroom dispute over the alleged gold tooth continues, with the State relying on a dental report and a photograph, while Mncube maintains that the image does not show what prosecutors claim it does.

As cross-examination continues, the question remains whether the the evidence supports the State’s theory or whether the alleged gold tooth is being misidentified.