Zandie Khumalo says she could not remember police number when Senzo Meyiwa was shot

The murder trial of Senzo Meyiwa resumed on Friday at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, with the testimony of Zandile Lorraine Khumalo (Zandi).

Meyiwa was murdered at the family home of his former lover and musician, Kelly Khumalo (Zandi’s sister), in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, in October 2014.

Khumalo and Meyiwa, who were having an affair at the time, were at her house with her mother Ntombi, sister Zandie, Zandie’s boyfriend at the time – Longwe Twala – and Senzo’s friends, Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala.

Five suspects – Bongani Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Ncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli – are on trial for Meyiwa’s murder.

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Too shocked to call for help

Zandie told the court that she had stashed her phone inside the couch when the suspects barged into their home demanding money and cellphones.

While the fighting occurred, she hid in the bathroom, but she could still see some of what was happening at the time.

On Thursday, Zandie identified accused number one (Bongani Ntanzi) as the gun-wielding suspect with dreadlocks who demanded the cellphones and money.

But social media users were quick to bring up a previous television interview, in which she claimed not to remember what the suspects looked like because “they were wearing masks half the time”.

https://twitter.com/Trock_383/status/1659178032555237381

However, she appears to have regained some of her memory and reiterated that accused number one was the first intruder.

Zandie also said the second intruder violently elbowed her mother, who had gone to get another phone that was charging.

She said the first suspect then took the phone and walked away.

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She said even though she retrieved her phone after the suspect fled, she could not remember the emergency number (10111).

In the chaos, the Bafana Bafana captain lay bleeding, his wounded body supported by Kelly’s lap. Zandie then left the house and tried to ask the neighbours for help, but it appeared as though they were also too shocked to call an ambulance.

The sisters then drove Meyiwa to the hospital, where she (Zandie) held a cloth to his wound. She said he was still breathing en route to the hospital, but parts of his body, like his chest, felt cold.

Meyiwa was taken to a treatment room on a stretcher while the sisters stood comforting each other. But soon, a doctor approached them with the news that he had passed away.

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Mandisa Meyiwa attacks Kelly Khumalo

Zandie testified that after Meyiwa had been declared dead, she accompanied Kelly to the room where his body lay. Kelly kissed his forehead and started removing his jewellery, earrings and watch.

When the sisters left the hospital room, they found that many people had already arrived, among them Orlando Pirates players with their girlfriends, musician Chicco Twala (Longwe’s father), and Meyiwa’s lawful wife Mandisa.

Zandie told the court that Mandisa and her friends went straight for Khumalo.

“Mandisa and her friends attacked Kelly and pulled her braids,” Zandi said.

The two women had to be separated, and she said she told Mandisa, “This is not the time; Senzo was not a person that liked hostility. Let us try, no matter how bad we are feeling, and focus on this we are faced with right now.”

“Mandisa told Kelly, ‘You already killed him [Senzo],” Zandie said.

The murder trial was postponed to June 12 because of the unavailability of one of the lawyers involved in the case.