Senzo Meyiwa stood up and confronted the intruder brandishing a firearm and a scuffle broke out between the two on the night the former Bafana Bafana skipper and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was shot and killed at his girlfriend’s house.
This was according to Meyiwa’s friend, Mthokozisi Thwala while giving testimony of what happened the night Meyiwa was killed in October 2014 at Kelly Khumalo’s Vosloorus home at Ekurhuleni.
Five men are facing trial in the North Gauteng High Court for the killing of Meyiwa. The state prosecutor George Baloyi was questioning Thwala about what happened on the night Meyiwas was killed.
The five – Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli – have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a license and possession of ammunition..
“There was a scuffle because Senzo stood up and proceeded towards this guy that had a firearm and they were pushing each other towards the kitchen,” Thwala told the court.
Thwala said there were two intruders who gained entry into the house through the kitchen door. One of the intruders had a firearm while the second one had “a sharp object like a knife” and they wanted cell phones and money from those who were in the house including Meyiwa.
He said he could only describe one of the two intruders. “He had dreads, he was wearing a hat. He wasn’t dark skinned and he wasn’t light skinned.”
- Baloyi: “You have earlier testified that there is a corridor there. Was the person in the corridor or the sitting room?”
- Twala: “He was coming from the kitchen and he appeared in that small corridor. Then at first I thought he was someone they knew. But I saw in the manner in which it happened or was happening, the person also had a firearm.”
- Baloyi: “Can you explain when you say you thought it was a person they know. What gave you that impression?”
- Twala: “I don’t know but the manner in which the person appeared.”
- Baloyi: “Proceed.”
- Twala:” I remember that he wanted phones. The first person to stand up.”
- Baloyi: “Was it only phones?”
- Twala: “It was phones and money.”
- Baloyi: “Do you remember which language he was speaking?”
- Twala: “Zulu because it wasn’t Xhosa and Sesotho.”
- Baloyi: “Are you able to describe that person?”
- Twala: “Yes, he had dreads (dreadlocks), he was wearing a hat. He wasn’t dark skinned and he wasn’t light skinned.”
- Maumela: “What kind of hat?”
- Twala: “It was a hat. I don’t know how to describe it. But it wasn’t a cap.”
- Maumela: “Do you remember the colour?”
- Twala: “No, I don’t remember the colour but it wasn’t darkish.”
- Baloyi: “Can you tell the court about this person?”
- Twala: “He was short and then the person that stood up first was Longiwe [he ran] towards the guy and he went out the door. And then Senzo and Tumelo stood up.”
- Baloyi: “Was this person you just described, was he alone?”
- Twala: “When he came in he was alone but when we all got up I noticed that there was a second one.”
- Baloyi: “Where did you see the second person?”
- Twala: “He was behind him.”
- Baloyi: “Behind who?”
- Twala: “Behind the first one that got in.”
- Baloyi: “You mentioned that the first person had a firearm and the second person?”
- Twala: “He had a sharp object, maybe a knife but he wasn’t carrying a firearm.”
- Baloyi: “Are you able to describe the second person?”
- Twala: “No.”
- Baloyi: “You mentioned that you all stood up. What happened further?”
- Twala: “There was a scuffle because Senzo stood up and proceeded towards this guy that had a firearm and they were pushing each other towards the kitchen.”
The trial continues.
