Like singer Kelly Khumalo’s legion of fans, her sister Zandie Khumalo has again shown her support amid the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial.
ACCUSEDS’ CONFESSIONS ADMISSIBLE IN COURT
This came after Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng ruled on Thursday, 14 March – during the trial-within-a-trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria – that confessions by accused one and two (Muzi Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi) were admissible. Mokgoatlheng told the court that the two men confessed voluntarily, freely and were not coerced as they had claimed.
As a result, their confessions were and are being used in the main trial to prosecute them, their three co-accused (Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle ‘Nkani’ Ntuli) and others who may be implicated in the murder of Meyiwa.
The Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was murdered at Khumalo’s family home in Vosloorus, Gauteng, on 26 October 2014. At the time, the footballer was in a relationship with Khumalo and they had had their daughter, Thingo, that year.
According to Ntanzi’s alleged confession, read in court by Lieutenant Colonel Solomon Raphadu, Khumalo ordered the hit on Meyiwa. The confession was taken down by Raphadu 19 June 2020 at the Moroka Police Station.
Ntanzi, who was 30 years old at the time, said in his statement that he received a call in mid-October 2014 from Maphisa who told him he needed his assistance with an urgent job.
“Carlos [Mncube] was nearby and I could hear his voice in the background. I promised to assist and I decided to leave for Johannesburg. I then left for Vosloorus men’s hostel.”
He allegedly added that he met Sibiya, Sifiso Zungu (co-accused Nkani Ntuli), who initially gave the inside information.
“Later Carlos Buthelezi [Mncube] and Maphisa joined the gathering at the hostel. I was briefed that the person to be eliminated or killed was Senzo Meyiwa and the matter was initiated by Kelly Khumalo who was going to make a payment for the job.”
In his confession, Ntanzi said that on Sunday between 19:00 and 20:00 they proceeded to the Khumalo household.
“I went in with Carlos and others took their positions as discussed during the planning. When we entered the house Carlos shouted in Zulu: ‘phansi, imali na ma cellphones [down, money and cellphones]’. I started collecting cellphones and cash that was in the container.
“While I was busy Senzo jumped to Carlos and a struggle ensued where one shot went off and the second shot hit Senzo as the firearm was pointed at his chest.”
NTANZI ‘RECEIVED R45 000 IN TOTAL’
After they left, Ntanzi alleged that he received R15 000 in cash at the hostel.
“I then left with Nkani to Johannesburg where I slept over. The following day Nkani took me to Daveyton where I stayed for some days. Nkani later returned and took out an amount of R30,000 and gave it to me.”
ZANDIE SHOWS KELLY KHUMALO SUPPORT AMID MEYIWA TRIAL
In an Instagram post, Zandie (who is also a singer) wrote: “Bo Mashobane [Khumalo clan name], the end is near, God is at work. There’s an English saying that goes ‘lies will travel halfway across the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes and tying its laces’. The truth has finally finished putting its shoes on and the journey must begin.”