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‘I cannot say who shot Senzo Meyiwa’, Madlala tells court

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The third state witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Tumelo Madlala, has admitted for the first time in court that he is not able to say exactly who fired the shot that killed the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper.  

At the time the shot went off, Kelly Khumalo’s mother Gladness and her sister Zandile were assaulting the alleged first intruder who had a firearm while Meyiwa held the second alleged intruder against the wall in the kitchen.

Madlala says he cannot say if the second intruder, who he punched in the face, was armed, that during the commotion Kelly Khumalo had run in and out of the bedroom while Longwe Twala had run out of the house, while Mthokozisi Thwala’s whereabouts during this time have not yet been revealed.    

Advocate Mshololo seemed to paint a picture that during the common anything could have happened and anyone could have pulled the trigger, which Madlala has now admitted is not a matter he can comment on with certainty, except to assume that the person who had entered the house with the gun should have been the one who shot. 

“So, it is an assumption that the person who shot was the intruder that came in with a gun?” asked Mshololo. 

“Yes,” responded Madlala. 

Advocate Mshololo, for accused 5, has interrogated Madlala on why had chosen not to assist Gladness, Zandi and Kelly Khumalo as they assaulted the alleged first armed intruder and instead went for the alleged intruder he was not aware of what he had in his position. 

Madlala says he had not necessarily chosen who to help and who not to help but had found himself around the guy who was held against the wall in the kitchen by Meyiwa as he was trying to run out of the house. He says it was at this point that he decided to help his friend Meyiwa, saying the other three ladies were not his friends. 

After the shooting Madlala was offered a place to sleep by Kelly Khumalo at her Mulbarton residence where she had lived with Meyiwa. Mshololo seemed to highlight Madlala’s vulnerability during this time, being away from home in Durban with his friend, who had invited him to Johannesburg, just having been killed.  

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