Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Tumelo Madlala to face cross-examination from defence

The trial against the five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, resumes on Monday in the Pretoria High Court.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

The slain soccer star’s close friend, Tumelo Madlala, will be back in the dock for cross-examination from Advocate Zandile Mshololo.

Madlala is the state’s third witness in the high-profile murder trial and Advocate Mshololo represents accused number five, Sifisokuhle Ntuli.

ALSO READ: Witness points out accused No. 2 as the man who got into a tussle with Senzo Meyiwa

During his last court appearance in November, Madlala dropped a bombshell when he identified accused number two, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, as the man who got into a struggle with Meyiwa on the night he was murdered in 2014.  

He insisted during a dock identification that Ntanzi was the intruder the soccer star had pinned against the wall in the kitchen of the Khumalo home.

This was despite the fact that Ntanzi never went through an identity parade.

WATCH LIVE: Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, courtesy of SABC News

Madlala was among the seven people who were inside the house belonging to singer Kelly Khumalo’s mother in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, when Meyiwa was shot during an alleged botched robbery on 26 October.

At the time of his death, Meyiwa and Khumalo were lovers while he was married to his wife, Mandisa.

‘Senzo and Zandie Khumalo had sexual relationship’

Meanwhile, Tshepo Thobane, the attorney representing accused number one to four, revealed that he would call a witness to testify that Meyiwa had a sexual relationship with Khumalo’s sister, Zandie.

Thobane made this claim after saying the same witness would also testify that Meyiwa allegedly took out life insurance cover in which Kelly was a signatory and beneficiary.

“I put it to you that a witness will come and testify that Kelly and Senzo took out life cover for Senzo, and Kelly was the signatory and the beneficiary thereof,” Thobane said.

The accused

Ntanzi, Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, Mthobisi Prince Ncube and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa are facing a string of charges – including murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstance – in connection with Meyiwa’s killing.

The group has pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and they remain behind bars.

Last month, Gauteng deputy judge president Aubrey Ledwaba reserved judgment on Ntanzi’s bail application.

NOW READ: Judgment reserved in bail application of Senzo Meyiwa murder accused