Witness denies claims Senzo Meyiwa tried to stop fight between Zandi and Longwe

Senzo Meyiwa’s long-time friend has denied claims that the footballer had tried to stop a fight between Zandi Khumalo and Longwe Twala on the night he was fatally shot.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

Tumelo Madlala is the State’s third witness in the murder trial of the five men accused of killing the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper back in 2014.

Meyiwa was gunned down in what has been described as a botched robbery at the family home of his then-lover, musician Kelly Khumalo.

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Madlala, Kelly Khumalo’s younger sister – Zandi and Twala were present in the Khumalo house on the night the soccer player was killed.

At the time, Zandi and Twala were in a romantic relationship.

Cross-examination

Madlala on Thursday was crossed-examined by Advocate Zandile Mshololo – the defence lawyer for accused number five – in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

Advocate Mshololo asked him about a statement deposed by Mlungisi Edward Hlophe on 6 March 2019.

Hlophe is believed to be Meyiwa’s brother-in-law and in his affidavit, he alleged that Madlala confessed to him that Meyiwa was shot after intervening to stop a fight between Zandi and Twala.

“…I went back inside my car [and] called Tumelo Madlala on the said night of 26 October 2014. I wanted to get the truth of what exactly happened.

“Tumelo told me there was a fight in Kelly Khumalo’s house. Zandi was fighting with her boyfriend and Senzo Meyiwa was trying to separate the two,” Mshololo said, reading an extract from Hlophe’s statement.

Madlala denied Hlophe’s claims saying they were lies. He said it was the first time he had heard of the statement.

He also said he wasn’t close to Hlophe and did not recall ever receiving a call from him.

“If this statement existed, why didn’t he make the statement back then [in 2014]? Why did he submit the statement in 2019?” Madlala asked.

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

Senzo Meyiwa’s funeral

Advocate Mshololo also revealed that the defence would bring a witness to testify that Madlala was banned from attending Meyiwa’s funeral by Samuel, Senzo Meyiwa’s late father.

Madlala denied this saying he went to the funeral, but never went to the graveyard because it was full.

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.

The trial was postponed to Friday, and the State is expected to re-examine Madlala.

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