Africa-Press – South-Africa. Former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa tussled with one of the perpetrators and had him pinned against the kitchen wall when a shot rang off.
This was the emotional testimony of Meyiwa’s close friend, Tumelo Madlala, in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Madlala is the State’s third witness, but is the first eyewitness who was in the Vosloorus house on the evening that Meyiwa was shot and killed on 26 October 2014.
Other people who were in the house at the time include Meyiwa’s girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, her mother, Gladness, her sister, Zandi, Longwe Twala, who was dating Zandi at the time, as well as another of Meyiwa’s friends, Mthokozisi Thwala.
Madlala told the court everyone in the house was watching the football – Manchester United v Chelsea – when a man appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and the lounge.
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“The person who came in was carrying a firearm and he had dreadlocks,” Madlala said.
He said the person was wearing a black and white scotch hat.
News24 previously reported that a scotch hat was found on the kitchen floor and bagged as evidence.
Madlala said the man was short and had big eyes. Speaking isiZulu, the man demanded money and cellphones.
At that point, Longwe, who was sitting closest to the doorway where the unknown man was standing, launched from the couch and pushed the man into the kitchen and out of the house, Madlala testified.
As Longwe tussled with the man, Khumalo allegedly went into a bedroom adjacent to the kitchen.
“I also got up and saw a second guy in the kitchen,” Madlala said. He described the second man as being tall.
Madlala told the court that Meyiwa accosted the second man, holding his right arm above the elbow and pressing him against the right side of the kitchen.
“As I saw Senzo standing there, my intention was to go out because the kitchen door was there.”
While Meyiwa had the second man pinned against the wall, Madlala punched the man on the left side of the face.
Meanwhile, according to Madlala, Khumalo, her mother and Zandi were hitting the first man, who had been standing in the doorway. He said Zandi used one of his crutches as a weapon.
A single walking crutch was found on the kitchen floor, News24 previously reported.
Madlala said:
In the bedroom, Madlala said he hid his cellphone under clothes and blankets. He wanted to get out of the house through the bedroom window, but was unable to because of the burglar bars.
While sitting on the bed, fearing the shooter would come to the bedroom, Madlala heard voices coming from inside the house, he told the court.
“As I heard the voices, I tried to open the door, but couldn’t open it from the inside. I think it was Mthoko (Thwala), he managed to open the door from the outside, I think he used a spoon.
“As I came out, I could hear everyone calling out Senzo’s name.”
Madlala testified that, as he moved to the lounge, he saw Meyiwa lying face down in front of the TV stand between the couches.
He said he first thought Meyiwa was hiding because of how he was lying on the floor.
Madlala, who had become emotional at various stages of his testimony, was visibly distraught when describing how he found his friend.
The State prosecutor, advocate George Baloyi, asked that the court adjourn for the day in order for the witness to compose himself.
The trial is expected to continue on Wednesday.
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