Madlala quizzed on why Longwe Twala fought with gunman on night Senzo Meyiwa was killed

Tumelo Madlala, Senzo Meyiwa’s long-time friend, says he finds it strange that Longwe Twala fought with one of the intruders who had a gun on the night the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was fatally shot.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

Madlala returned to the witness stand in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday for the resumption of his cross-examination by Advocate Zandile Mshololo.

Advocate Mshololo is the defence lawyer for one of the five men standing trial for Meyiwa’s murder back in 2014.

The footballer was gunned down on 26 October, in what has been described as a botched robbery at the family home of his then-lover, musician Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg.

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Madlala and Twala were among the seven witnesses who were inside the property when intruders allegedly entered the house and demanded cash and cell phones from the occupants.

Twala is the son of music mogul and businessman, Chicco Twala.

Cross-examination

During his examination-in-chief by the State in September, Madlala testified that Twala – who was unarmed at the time of the alleged robbery – fought with one of the intruders who had a gun.

He described this man as short and said he had big eyes.

Advocate Mshololo quizzed Madlala about this: “It is possible for a person who is not armed to go straight to the person who is armed and fight them?

Madlala said in response: “I’ve been asking myself till this day how was that possible… I even asked him [Twala] one day how was it possible for him to have fought with the guy with a firearm”.

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‘There was no intruder’

Advocate Mshololo said Madlala’s account of what happened on the night Meyiwa was killed was not plausible.

She said it was impossible that there were intruders on that fateful night.

“There is no way Longwe could have gone to the person carrying a firearm without being shot.

“It clearly shows that there was no intruder who entered the house carrying a gun,” Mshololo said.

However, Madlala stuck to his story about intruders who accosted them at the Khumalo house.

“That’s a complete lie. There were intruders inside the house, I was there.”

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Madlala added that Khumalo, her mother Ntombi, and younger sister, Zandi, fought with the alleged intruder with his crutches while he was sitting down.

Advocate Mshololo then asked: “How come when they were assaulting the intruder they didn’t get shot at?”

Madlala said in response: “I think those questions should be directed to the persons who were fighting the intruder”.

Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, Mthobisi Prince Ncube and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa are standing trial for Meyiwa’s murder.

They face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.

The group has pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and they remain behind bars.

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