Dewani appears in court

(Image: Jonund, via Wikimedia Commons)

The court will assess the readiness of the prosecution and defence teams to start the trial. This is the second appearance since he arrived in the country in April.

Dewani, 34, has been remanded in custody at Valkenberg psychiatric hospital since he arrived.

He is charged with five counts - kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, conspiracy to commit murder and defeating the ends of justice - relating to the murder of his wife Anni during their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.

While prosecutors allege Dewani hired Xolile Mngeni to kill his wife, Dewani has denied any involvement.

Mngeni, together with two others, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Zola Tongo, were convicted of murder between 2010 and 2012. The men were sentenced to life imprisonment, 25 years' imprisonment and 18 years' imprisonment respectively.