Payment dispute arose after suspects ‘killed’ Senzo Meyiwa on Kelly Khumalo’s order, court hears

There was an alleged payment dispute between the five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa after they carried out the alleged hit.

The confession statements of accused one, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, and accused two, Bongani Ntanzi, were read into the record on Friday.

This follows the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria’s ruling that the confessions were made freely and and voluntarily.

ALSO READ: Senzo Meyiwa trial: Suspect wanted plea bargain to testify against co-accused, court told

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng, therefore, concluded that the statements were admissible to be used as evidence in the main trial.

Ntanzi’s initial confession regarding his purported role in Meyiwa’s murder was recorded by Colonel Moholo Solomon Raphadu at the Moroka Police Station in Soweto on 19 June 2020.

Subsequently, he provided a second confession before Magistrate Vivian Cronje at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court five days later.

Sibiya confessed at the Diepkloof Police Station on 30 May 2020, the day of his arrest.

Confession implicates Kelly Khumalo

On Friday, Raphadu took the witness stand again after he testified before the court in a trial-within-a-trial.

The police officer read out Ntanzi’s confession, which revealed that South African singer, Kelly Khumalo, who was Meyiwa’s partner then, ordered the hit on the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper.

“I was briefed that the person who was going to be eliminated was Senzo Meyiwa, and the matter was initiated by Kelly Khumalo, who was going to make payment for the whole job,” the statement reads.

Meyiwa was fatally shot by armed intruders at Khumalo’s family home in Vosloorus, Gauteng, on 26 October 2014.

It was previously revealed in court that Kelly Khumalo received two phone calls from one of the accused prior to Meyiwa’s murder.

READ MORE: Kelly Khumalo ordered hit on Senzo Meyiwa, court hears

The first call was made on 2 August 2014, followed by another on 15 October 2014.

The confession, as Raphadu continued to read out the document, then detailed how the hit was allegedly carried out by the suspects.

On the day, Ntanzi stated that he met his four co-accused at a hostel in Vosloorus.

They then later went to the address given, and he and accused three, Mthobisi “Carlos” Mncube, entered the house. 

Watch the trial below:

According to the statetment, Sibiya was keeping guard and accused four Mthokoziseni Maphisa was stationed as backup.

Accused five Fisokuhle “Nkani” Ntuli was the driver.

Mncube shouted at the individuals in the house to hand over their cellphones and money.

RELATED: Senzo Meyiwa’s murder ‘a hit not robbery gone wrong’

While Ntanzi was collecting the cellphones and money, Meyiwa jumped up and attacked Mncube.

A scuffle ensued, and two shots went off, one of which struck Meyiwa in the chest.

The court previously heard that the bullet tore the right chamber of Meyiwa’s heart and exited through his back.

“While Maphisa ran into the house, I then proceeded directly to the silver [VW] Polo that was parked. I waited in the car with Nkani [and] within a short period of time I was joined by Carlos, Muzi Sibiya and Maphisa.”

Payment dispute

The suspects allegedly went back to the hostel, where Ntanzi claimed to have been handed R15 000.

Ntanzi and Ntuli left the hostel to go to Johannesburg, where he slept over. They then went to Daveyton the following day and Ntanzi received an extra R30 000 from Ntuli.

The confession further reveals a dispute allegedly arose over the amounts to be paid, leading to a meeting at eMahlathini, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

“It escalated to such an extent that Sibiya had leaked information about the incident [Meyiwa’s murder].

Njabulo and Lulama had an argument with Sibiya whereby a meeting was convened by the family, headed by Sibiya’s father.

“He told them to keep quiet about the incident of the killing of Senzo Meyiwa. The family agreed to keep quiet. The matter was never reported to the police,” Ntanzi’s confession stated.

Meanwhile, Sibiya, in his confession statement, claimed he was paid R30 000 for his role in the operation.

The confession revealed that the accused consulted a traditional healer for cleansing.

The traditional healer, who also testified in the trial-within-a-trial, was allegedly paid just over R5 000.

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