Accused No.: 2 in the Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial, Bongani Ntanzi, travelled to KwaZulu-Natal to prepare to pay lobola for his girlfriend and there are bank statements and cell phone records to verify this. That’s according to Attorney TT Thobane for accused 1 – 4, stating that according to accused 2’s version he could not possibly had been the tall guy who was held against the wall by Meyiwa and punched in the face by Tumelo Madlala before a shot went off killing the former Orlando Pirates keeper.
Thobane has told the court that Ntanzi “was arrested at his place of residence in the vicinity of his employment in Rustenburg. The accused was tortured and assaulted to make a confession in this matter and he refused”.
But Madlala, Meyiwa’s childhood friend who had arrived from Durban on the day of the murder, insisted Ntanzi was one of the two men who were in the house before Meyiwa was murdered.
“I remember him. He is the man I was fighting with Senzo. Even after 20 or 30, I would still remember him.”
Thobane says on the 25th of October Ntanzi says he knocked off in Rustenburg and was in KwaZulu-Natal on the 26th where he spent the following week making transactions in preparation for his girlfriend’s lobola. Meyiwa was murdered on the 26th of October 2014, when according to the state and version supported by Madlala, two men stormed into the house and demanded money and cellphones before a scuffle ensued moments before Meyiwa was shot and killed.
“”I don’t know about his instruction (to you), but I am telling him he was there.”
Thobane says, “The whole week he was in KZN. Even the police took bank statements to show that he was in KZN making transactions.”
Spotting a black All Star T-shirt and black jeans, Madlala has shot this down as pure fabrication, saying Ntanzi will have to bring proof to support the claim about his whereabouts.
“I put it to you that the police has those statements but they are unable to use those statements because they will destroy their case,” says Thobane.
Madlala seemed to backtrack on his apparent suggestion that accused 3, Prince Mncube, was the first short intruder who had entered the house wearing a jacket and a hat on short dreadlocks.
Previously, before the trial was adjourned two months ago, Thobane questioned Madlala on Mncube putting it to Madlala on which hand the first intruder had the gun when he stormed into the house wearing a scotch hat and a brown or caramel jacket.
Madlala at the time responded, “I think on his right hand.”
Thobane put it then to Madlala that Mncube was left-handed, to which Madlala responded, “I don’t know about that.”
However, when it was put to Madlala that on the day of the shooting, the 38-year-old Ncube, who’s currently serving 35 years for a different crime, didn’t have dreadlocks, Madlala disputed this, “Those are lies.”
On Tuesday, Madlala seemed more cautious in his responses not to suggest whether Mncube could have been the gun-wielding intruder, who was assaulted by Kelly Khumalo, Gladness Khumalo and Zandi Khumalo.
When Thobane on Tuesday put it to Madlala that accused 3 never had dreadlocks on the day of the murder, Madlala responded, “I don’t know about that but what I know is that he was wearing a jacket and a hat.”
It was at this point that Advocate Zandile Mshololo for accused 5, stood up and sought on who is “he.”
Madlala still vaguely responded, “The intruder who came into the house in possession of the firearm.”
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela intervened in search for more clarity, asking, “Which accused?”
“The one that he (Thobane) says he did not have dreadlocks,” responded Madlala.
Madlala further explained, “I didn’t see him very well. The only thing I could see was that he was wearing a jacket and hat and had dreadlocks. The one that I saw clearly is accused 2.”
Asked if he could identify any of the accused in the dock as the one who had dreads, Madlala responded, “I didn’t see him very well because he had a gun.”
Thobane concluded his cross-examination, making way for Advocate Mshololo, who asked to commence with her cross-examination after the lunch break.
Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial | State witness Tumelo Madlala continues with his testimony PART 2
