Africa-Press – South-Africa. Longwe Twala, the son of musician Chicco Twala, was the first person to flee the Vosloorus house where former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was killed, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard on Thursday.
During the cross-examination of Meyiwa’s close friend, Tumelo Madlala, advocate Zandile Mshololo continued to press Madlala on what happened inside the house where Meyiwa was killed.
Madlala, a State witness, was also in the Vosloorus house when Meyiwa was shot dead on 26 October 2014.
Mshololo represents one of the accused, Fisokuhle Ntuli.
The four other accused – Bongani Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Ncube, and Mthokoziseni Maphisa – are represented by advocate TT Thobane.
On Wednesday during his testimony, Madlala told the court Longwe Twala ran towards an armed intruder when he entered the home.
Madlala said Kelly Khumalo, her mother, and sister Zandie Khumalo also approached the armed intruder and a commotion ensued, during which his crutches were used to assault the intruder.
But on Thursday, Madlala told the court Twala ran outside as soon as the intruder appeared with a gun.
“Yes, he stood up from the sofa where he sat, and he pushed this person and went outside,” he said.
“And he was not shot?” Mshololo asked.
Madlala agreed.
He could not confirm when Meyiwa’s other friend, Mthokozisi Twala, left the house because he fled to the bedroom.
Madlala told the court:
He further testified Mthokozisi only appeared when he was struggling to open the bedroom door using a spoon. By then, people in the house were crying.
While going through the findings report of Meyiwa’s post-mortem, Mshololo told Madlala that Meyiwa’s wound was consistent with “a contact bullet entrance wound”.
Mshololo argued if a second person had stood behind Meyiwa, the bullet would have hit that person.
But the State interjected and said it was unfair to question Madlala on the technical issues of the post-mortem report.
When asked how many shots were fired inside the house, Madlala told the court he was unsure because as soon as the first shot rang out, he fled to the bedroom.
He added the shot was so “loud” it partially deafened him, making it difficult for him to tell the court how many shots were fired.
Mshololo asked Madlala why he never called the police after Meyiwa was shot.
Madlala said when he got to the bedroom, he hid his phone under the blankets on the bed, and all he could think about was his own “survival”.
He told the court when Longwe returned from outside, he told them he had called for backup. But no one arrived, Madlala said.
He added he also did not see Longwe when they carried a wounded Meyiwa to the car, saying neighbours assisted them.
Mshololo further questioned Madlala on the relationship he had with Senzo’s brother-in-law, Mlungisi Hlophe. But Madlala said he did not have a relationship with him.
Reading from Hlophe’s statement he made in March 2019, it was stated Madlala told him there was a fight in Kelly Khumalo’s house.
Hlophe’s statement read:
Madlala told the court this was the first time he had heard of Hlophe’s statement and questioned why Hlophe did not make his statement earlier.
When Mshololo asked Madlala if he ever reported Meyiwa’s death to his father, Madlala said he informed his mother when he visited the family home.
The court heard Madlala also did not go to the graveyard. He told the court that the cars were full.
Mshololo argued Meyiwa’s father was “very angry” at Madlala and banned him from attending the funeral.
“That is a lie,” Madlala said.
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