It has been a year since the shooting of Anton Lombard outside the Hauser Park Sports Bar (also known as The Shute) and the trial of Martin Wessels, accused of shooting him, continues.

Wessels appeared in court on Tuesday (April 14), with the case once again being postponed.

According to Wessels’ attorney, Justin Heunis, it has taken time because the defence is waiting for feedback from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The defence went through the senior public prosecutor to rule on whether the shooting was self-defence and asked that the charges against their client be withdrawn. This decision has been referred back to the DPP, who will make the final decision if the charges are to be withdrawn.

Presiding Magistrate K Naidoo postponed the case until May 13.

Questions have also been asked about the weak enforcement of bail conditions by police, as Wessels is reported to be often seen at Ladysmith Country Club, drinking and socialising with friends. This, according to legal opinion, is not a violation of bail conditions at all, unless stipulated by the magistrate during the bail hearing. This was not the case.

Wessels is accused of fatally shooting Anton Lombard in April 2025 and is currently out on bail.

When police arrived after the shooting, Wessels handed over his firearm. A knife was found lying next to the body of the deceased, and undisputed video footage clearly showed the knife in the deceased’s hands on the veranda of the bar when he attacked Wessels earlier that evening. The footage also shows the deceased playing with the knife shortly before the attack.

Wessels made his first court appearance in May 2025 after spending about two weeks in custody. During the bail hearing, video evidence was presented by Wessels’ defence. The crux of the evidence was that Lombard attacked Wessels in the parking lot.

Wessels said he believed Lombard was armed with a knife and intended to kill him. In the scuffle that ensued in the parking area, the gun went off.

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