Zandile Khumalo Takes the Stand in the Senzo Meyiwa Case: A Quest for Justice Unveiled. WATCH
Zandile Khumalo Takes the Stand in the Senzo Meyiwa Case: A Quest for Justice Unveiled
After a series of motions and delays, the day has finally arrived. Zandile Khumalo, the sister of Kelly Khumalo, has stepped onto the witness stand in the highly anticipated Senzo Meyiwa case. However, it wasn’t without its initial hurdles. Zandile had sought to prevent the media from live recording the proceedings, but her application was dismissed by Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, allowing for the audio to be recorded.
The trial of Senzo Meyiwa continued at the Pretoria High Court, with Zandile scheduled to provide her testimony on Monday. However, she expressed her reluctance to be recorded, citing concerns of scrutiny and the impact on her public performances as an artist.
Following the dismissal of her application and the commencement of the proceedings, Zandile made a decision not to appeal. Her primary focus is to ensure that the trial progresses, as she seeks justice for Senzo.
As she took the stand, Zandile began by recounting her connection to the late Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, who tragically lost his life on October 26, 2014, at Kelly’s home in Spruitview. She stated, “If I remember well, I knew Senzo between 2012 or 2013, although I don’t remember the date. I haven’t been to his place, but I heard that he lives in Buccleuch. Whenever they needed to meet with Kelly, we would gather at restaurants and entertainment venues.”
Zandile went on to express that Kelly and Senzo had a deep love for each other, sharing that Kelly informed her that she had met Senzo through a mutual friend named Lucia Mthiyane. Their bond was evident as they were inseparable, accompanying one another wherever they went. They also shared a 9-year-old daughter named Thingo.
On the fateful Sunday when Senzo’s life was tragically cut short, they had all gathered at his residence in Mulbarton that morning. Zandile recollected the events, stating, “It was me, Kelly, Mthoko, who stayed overnight, and Senzo. We heard that Roy Mahamudza was hosting a party which they had to attend, and on the same day, we had a show.
At the time, I was working with my sister, and we had a Can Do event at Dorothy Nyembe in Soweto. We left in the morning, preparing to go to Dorothy Nyembe, and we all traveled in the same vehicle. When we arrived at the party venue, the plan was to drop Senzo off and then proceed to work. However, the party hadn’t started yet, as they were still preparing, so we decided to accompany them to the event.”
At Dorothy Nyembe, they arrived punctually but had to wait for some time due to ongoing performances. Following their own performance, they spent some time relaxing at the venue before deciding to leave. During their journey, Senzo made a phone call to the party venue, discovering that preparations were still underway.
Along the way, Senzo requested a stop at a house in Soweto, belonging to a player’s mother, to drop off some money. Subsequently, they visited Mthoko’s home in Katlehong, a place Zandile had never been before. It was there that an unexpected turn of events unfolded when Mthoko emerged from the house wearing a different top.
During the incident, Zandile was dating Longwe Twala, the son of Chicco Twala. On the day they arrived at Kelly’s home, they were having lunch when Longwe contacted Zandile, inquiring about her whereabouts.
Informing him that she was at home having lunch, Zandile mentioned the individuals present at the time, prompting Longwe to join them at the residence.
As the court adjourned and resumed later, Zandile’s emotions heightened as she recounted how what began as a promising day ended in tragedy. She recalled hearing gunshots and witnessing a man with dreadlocks pull the trigger.
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Zandile identified the individual allegedly responsible for pulling the trigger as accused number two, Bongani Tanzi. Last month, Bongani was denied bail in relation to the case.
At one point during her testimony, Zandile directly addressed the accused, expressing the immense pain inflicted upon her family and the hardships they have endured.
The case has been adjourned until tomorrow, allowing Zandie Khumalo to continue providing her testimony. While her face cannot be shown by any publication while she’s on the stand, the audio of the proceedings will be recorded live. This trial marks an important step toward uncovering the truth and seeking justice for Senzo Meyiwa, a beloved figure whose untimely death continues to haunt the nation.
