The legal representative of four of the five accused, Tshepo Thobane, is disputing that there were intruders who killed Senzo Meyiwa, instead he paints Meyiwa as a philanderer who was killed because of his choices.
PRETORIA – Tumelo Madlala, a close friend of Senzo Meyiwa, who was present when the ace Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was shot in October 2014, took the stand this week to testify about the day his friend was gunned down by alleged intruders.
Meyiwa was married to Mandisa Meyiwa, however, this did not stop him from having a conspicuous affair with singer Kelly Khumalo that led to them having a baby girl.
Meyiwa was killed on October 26, 2014, in Vosloorus while visiting Khumalo at her family home.
While on the stand, Madlala said they were “chilling” at the Khumalo home when intruders came in demanding money and cellphones. He said Meyiwa tried to fight off one of the intruders and that’s when the gun went off.
SIX EXPLOSIVE DETAILS REVEALED
1 Senzo Meyiwa was in sexual relationship with Kelly Khumalo and her sister Zandile
According to the defence, Tshepo Thobane, who is representing four of the five men accused of killing Meyiwa, the soccer star was having a sexual relationship with Zandile Khumalo, the sister of Kelly Khumalo.
“A witness will testify that at the end, Senzo ended up having a sexual relationship with Zandi as well. Kelly was being away for a long time,” he said.
Madlala responded: “I cannot agree and I cannot disagree with that because I do know that Senzo loved women.”
During his cross-examination Thobane tried to paint a picture of a love triangle that eventually led to Meyiwa’s death.
2 Tumelo Madlala points to accused number two as one of the intruders
State prosecutor advocate George Baloyi asked Madlala to point at one of the intruders who led to Meyiwa’s demise.
Madlala fingered 32-year-old Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi as one of the assailants.
“Mr Madlala, you have told the court that being in the same room with the person makes you uncomfortable. If you can state or inform the court who is that person making you uncomfortable?” Baloyi asked Madlala.
“That one, that man in blue or green T-shirt. That is the man who was held by Senzo. That is the man who had his beard cut,” said Madlala pointing directly at Ntanzi.
Sitting in the heavily guarded court, Ntanzi was smiling as Madlala kept accusing him.
3 A fight broke out when Senzo Meyiwa’s wife met Kelly Khumalo
Madlala and others rushed Meyiwa to Botshelong Hospital in Vosloorus after he was shot.
Madlala described the ugly scene which followed when Meyiwa’s wife Mandisa arrived at the hospital.
“Mandisa, Senzo’s wife arrived. I do not know who she was with…. It became chaotic by the glass doors of the hospital, I think Mandisa and Kelly were at each other. I saw hair lying on the floor.
“I do not know if it was Mandisa or her friend, but there was a fight. I then saw the hair,” Madlala said.
4 There were no intruders, Senzo was shot by mistake during an argument
In an effort to show that Meyiwa’s infidelity led to his death, Thobane put it to Madlala that there were no intruders, instead Longwe Twala came to the house upset because Meyiwa was sleeping with his girlfriend at the time, Zandile Khumalo.
He told the court he will bring a witness who will testify that there was an argument in the house before the soccer star was killed and it was one of the people in the house who killed him.
“I put it to you that no intruders in the house,“ Thobane said to Madlala, which he denied.
Thobane added that his witness does not live far from the Khumalo family home.
“The witness even took measurements of the distance between the two yards,” he said.
“I don’t know the witness, but they can come and testify,” Madlala said.
“There was an argument between Kelly, Zandi, Longwe and Senzo, that is when the gunshot went off,” said Thobane.
“Those are lies,” replied Madlala.
5 Longwe Twala brought the gun, but Kelly Khumalo pulled the trigger
According to Thobane, when Longwe came into the house, an argument ensued and he pulled a gun and tussled with Meyiwa.
Thobane said the two wrestled, and Meyiwa took the gun from Longwe and gave it to Kelly.
“It’s a lie. That is something that’s made up,” Madlala said.
Thobane further said Kelly wanted to give the gun back to Meyiwa and that is when it went off and hit Meyiwa at close range.
“That thing never happened. When the firearm went off, Longwe was not in the house, he had ran out,” said Madlala.
6 Chicco Twala suggested Kelly Khumalo take an overseas holiday after Senzo Meyiwa’s murder
Music mogul Chicco Twala who is also Longwe’s father, was overheard asking singer Kelly Khumalo if she would not want to undertake a holiday abroad after the death of Meyiwa.
After the murder of Meyiwa, Madlala spent time with Kelly at Mulbarton, a suburb located in the south of Joburg, where the deceased footballer and his girlfriend shared a town house.
“I am not sure about the day, but while I was still at Mulbarton, Chicco Twala arrived. Kelly was crying a lot those days, and I was not well. She is the one who informed Chicco that this is Senzo’s friend.
“I heard him speak to Kelly, enquiring from Kelly if she did not want to go overseas from some holiday,” Madlala told the court.
