The Senzo Meyiwa murder mystery deepens

An online newspaper has reported claims alleging singer Kelly Khumalo, her sister Zandile, their mother Gladness and Longwe Twala (Chicco Twala's son and Zandile's boyfriend) visited a Vosloorus inyanga (traditional healer) to undergo a cleansing ritual after Senzo Meyiwa was shot and killed inside the Khumalo home on October 26, 2014.

November 25, 2019

Zaid Khumalo 2 minutes read

Former Orlando Pirates’ star goal-keeper and Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa. Photo Supplied.

Meyiwa, the former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, was shot and killed after three unknown armed men allegedly stormed the Khumalo home in Mzamo Acres, Vosloorus, during what was reported to have been a house robbery.

According to the report, Kelly and Zandile both first visited the inyanga just hours after Meyiwa was killed. Other visits to the inyanga with their mother and Kelly’s children followed.

The report revealed that several days after the murder, Gladness, Zandile and Twala paid the same inyanga a visit for the same cleansing ritual without Kelly. The online newspaper also reported that at first the inyanga was reluctant to treat Twala, saying she needed his parents’ consent, but Gladness pleaded with her, saying he is also her child. During this visit, Twala told the inyanga he was having trouble sleeping as he was being strangled by a dead person in his sleep.

The article further disclosed that when Kelly made her second visit to the inyanga on January 15, 2015, three months after Meyiwa’s murder, she brought with her a live goat that was meant to be slaughtered for the cleansing ritual. With Kelly was her two children, one being Meyiwa’s daughter, Zandile, Gladness and Twala. Gladness reportedly told Twala at this visit that the shadow of a dead person was following him.

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It is five years since Meyiwa was shot dead inside the Khumalo home. With Meyiwa in the house that evening was Kelly, Zandile, Gladness, Twala, and Meyiwa’s childhood friend from Durban, Tumelo Madlala.

According to the victims, Meyiwa was shot during a scuffle between him and one of the three armed robbers. His alleged killer was later identified as a local dread-locked Rastafarian car washer – Zamokuhle Mbatha.

Thirty-five-year-old Mbatha is now suing the SAPS for R11-million after he was arrested and detained for two weeks as a suspect in the Meyiwa murder. Mbatha, who was cleared by a magistrate of the murder due to lack of evidence, told Kathorus MAIL he was looking forward to witnessing the arrest and trial of the real killer or killers of Meyiwa.

Nelisiwe Ndlovu, who lives two streets from the Khumalo home in Mzamo Acres, claimed she has been following the case with keen interest. She told Kathorus MAIL she was not surprised by the latest claims of ritual cleansing by the Khumalos. She said Kelly and Zandile were raised by a strong mother who has always been protective of her daughters and their children.

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Attempts by Kathorus MAIL to trace Kelly failed.

Meanwhile, the police are confident that investigations in the murder case are proceeding according to plan.

Approached for comment by Kathorus MAIL about how soon an arrest can be expected for Meyiwa’s murder, national police spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidoo refused to comment.

“As soon as we make an arrest we will contact the media and make a public announcement,” Naidoo said.

Pressed to comment about the time it has taken police to investigate the case, Naidoo urged the media and public to be patient.