Senzo Meyiwa trial: Witness claims police assaulted him but ‘nothing has happened’

A long-time friend of former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa has questioned why an investigation into his alleged assault has seemingly gone silent.

Mthokozisi Thwala returned to the witness stand in the Pretoria High Court on Thursday to give his evidence about the incident.

Thwala was one of six people in the Vosloorus home belonging to Kelly Khumalo’s mother when the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was shot during an alleged botched robbery on 26 October 2014.

Also present in the house at the time alongside Thwala and Khumalo was her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Gladness Khumalo, Longwe Twala, and another of Meyiwa’s friends Tumelo Madlala.

‘That does not sit well with me’

Thwala on Wednesday detailed how he was allegedly beaten and tortured by two police officers in an attempt to force him to change his initial statement and confess to being involved in Meyiwa’s murder.

The witness revealed how he was allegedly, under false pretences, transported from Durban to Pretoria in January 2019 only to be allegedly tied up and relentlessly assaulted “for a good 45 minutes to an hour”.

He said a female police officer identified as Joyce Buthelezi and another male officer, Meshack Makhubo,  allegedly fetched him from his place in Umlazi.

“They then used a tube to suffocate me. I was tortured from the night before until sunrise,” Thwala said.

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Continuing with his testimony on Thursday, Thwala was asked by state prosecutor, Advocate George Baloyi, whether he had taken any steps regarding the alleged assault.

“Yes, I opened a case against Buthelezi and Makhubo because, based on my knowledge, police-related matters are referred to Ipid [the Independent Police Investigative Directorate].

“I remember Ipid visited me once at my workplace to take statements. They were also shocked when I told them what happened. They said they would investigate the matter. But, up until now, nothing has happened,” he said.

Thwala said his lawyer tried to follow up on the case last year, but was told the matter had been given to another investigating officer.

“That does not sit well with me because we are under the police’s control,” the witness told the court.

Speaking about the day Meyiwa died, Thwala said that he felt uneasy about visiting Khumalo’s home in Mulbarton because he was friends with both Meyiwa’s wife, Mandisa Mkhize, and Khumalo.

Watch the proceedings below:

Gunman with dreadlocks

Earlier on Wednesday, Thwala relayed to the court the events of the day Meyiwa was shot, saying he thought it was a joke when an alleged intruder entered the house and demanded cellphones and money.

The witness said the incident took less than five minutes and two shots were fired.

He described the gunman as having dreadlocks, whom is believed to be accused number three Mthobisi Mncube.

Mncube’s lawyer, advocate Charles Mnisi, conceded the man depicted in a series of pictures with dreadlocks was indeed his client in the dock.

The pictures were found on Mncube’s phone that was confiscated by the police.

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