Justice delayed? Ninth anniversary of Senzo Meyiwa’s death

Thursday, 26 October 2022 marks exactly nine years since Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead.

Meyiwa was shot on the chest in an alleged botched robbery at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni in Gauteng on 26 October 2014.

NINE YEARS SINCE SENZO MEYIWA WAS KILLED

When Senzo Meyiwa was shot dead, he was at the peak of his career as captain for the national team and Orlando Pirates.

South African football fans were distraught, and nobody ever thought it would take almost a decade to solve his murder case. 

His father, Sam Meyiwa, who sought justice for his son, passed away without seeing those responsible for the murder behind bars.

Many theories have surfaced trying to explain what exactly happened the night Meyiwa was shot. Some have accused music producer Sello “Chicco” Twala’s son Longwe of shooting the late soccer star, while others say it is Kelly Khumalo. Still, the State insists Meyiwa was shot in a botched robbery.

ALSO READ: ‘My son and Kelly Khumalo know the truth’: Chicco Twala on Senzo Meyiwa’s murder

WHO KILLED NZORI? 

Five men are currently on trial at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria for the murder of the Meyiwa. 

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli are on trial of the murder of the late soccer star. The five men were arrested in 2020 and pleaded not guilty. 

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa suspends Judge Maumela – What does this mean for the Meyiwa trial?

Witnesses who have testified in court have pointed to Ntanzi as one of the two alleged intruders. 

Recently, police officer Constable Sizwe Zungu also testified that he was with all the five accused at a hostel in Vosloorus the day Meyiwa was shot and killed.

Zungu told the court that Sibiya, Ntanzi, and Mncube disappeared at night and came rushing back to his nephew’s room carrying guns, and Sibiya told him that Meyiwa was no more. He added that Ntanzi quickly changed into a different hoodie jacket when they returned.

A DNA expert who took the witness stand recently in the ongoing trial testified that DNA swabs inside Kelly Khumalo’s home did not match all five accused, excluding them from the Senzo Meyiwa murder scene. However, the court heard that the DNA evidence in the hat allegedly worn by one of the intruders provided two profiles, meaning it might have been worn by two men or a man and woman.

ALSO READ: Senzo Meyiwa trial: Zungu wraps up testimony sticking to his guns

A TRIAL WITHIN A TRIAL 

A trial-within-a-trial which looks into the admissibility of confessions allegedly made by accused 1 and 2 is underway.

Magistrate Vivienne Cronje recently testified that she took down Ntanzi’s confession statement on 24 June 2020 and that there is an audio recording of the confession. However, presiding judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng ruled that the recording could not form part of the evidence as it was recorded without Ntanzi’s consent, thus infringing his rights. 

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