By: Natasha Archary
Kelly Khumalo’s younger sister, Zandie takes to the witness stand to testify first in the Senzo Meyiwa murder retrial which commenced de novo (from scratch) on Monday, 17 July.
This after President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended former presiding judge on the matter, Tshifhiwa Maumela for prolonging judgements in the case.
With retired Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng presiding over the retrial, the last witness who testified in the previous trial of the slain footballer, Zandie Khumalo, was recalled to the stand to recount her version of events on the night Meyiwa was shot and killed.
Zandie who previously shared Meyiwa’s final moments before he succumbed to gunshot wounds from an apparent botched home invasion at her family’s Vosloorus home, revealed she heard three gunshots after the five men on trial entered and demanded money and cellphones.
“I heard a gunshot going off, I heard something hitting the floor. A spark went off and it hit me on my right foot.”
At this point Zandie claimed she ran to the bathroom, and while squatting down taking cover in the bathroom, she heard another shot in the kitchen.
A third shot went off but Zandie says this one sounded different.
Zandie said she peeked through the bathroom door to see Senzo clutching his stomach in a crouched position, trying to walk towards the lounge.
It was at this point that Kelly and her mother followed Senzo to the lounge, and Kelly’s mother grabbed the singer’s phone which was charging but the intruder elbowed Kelly’s mother and took the cellphone.
Zandie said although she had her cellphone which she had hidden, she couldn’t call 10111 because “she froze.”
Instead, Zandie ran out of the house to get help from her neighbour.
The younger sister to singer Kelly Khumalo shared how they rushed the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates footballer to hospital with a towel wrapped around his chest.
Meyiwa who was dating Kelly Khumalo at the time of his death, was rushed to the hospital by Zandie, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala and Kelly.
Zandie recounted that doctors had confirmed Meyiwa’s death shortly after arriving at Botshelong Hospital.
The five men accused of murdering Meyiwa are Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli and Mthokoziseni Maphisa.
All five men have pleaded not guilty. The retrial continues.
