‘Senzo Meyiwa will speak to me in my dreams’

Two days after former Orlando Pirates captain, Senzo Meyiwa’s murder on the 26^th of October 2014, his then-girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, refused to hand over his clothes to the Meyiwa family arguing that Senzo would, himself, speak to her in her dreams as to what she should do with his clothes.

Thwala: Kelly eventually handed over the ID, but refused to hand over Senzo’s clothes and told them Senzo himself would tell her in a dream as to what she should do with his clothes.#SenzoMeyiwa #SenzoMeyiwa #SABCNews

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 3, 2023

This was after a back-and-forth between Khumalo and Meyiwa’s brother, Sfiso Meyiwa, who had arrived in Joburg to fetch his slain brother’s Identity Document and belongings from his Mulbarton home where he had stayed with Khumalo.

This was revealed on Wednesday morning by Meyiwa’s friend, Mthokozisi Thwala, who was one of the people who were in the house the night the former Bafana Bafana star was shot and killed.

According to Thwala, he had the previous day gone to Khumalo’s house in Mulbarton on the family’s instruction to fetch Meyiwa’s ID so that they could move his body to a different mortuary. However, Khumalo had refused to hand over the ID saying she would only hand it over to Meyiwa’s brother or father if they came to her.

“They had a back-and-forth about taking Senzo’s belongings and on the side, I was talking to Tumelo to pack his clothes. Kelly eventually handed over the ID, but refused to hand over Senzo’s clothes and told them Senzo himself would tell her in a dream as to what she should do with his clothes,” says Thwala.

Thwala has also revealed that on the night Meyiwa was killed, Madlala refused to go with him, insisting on spending the night at Khumalo’s Mulbarton home instead.

Madlala who testified before the matter was postponed last year, had arrived in Joburg on the day Meyiwa was killed. He was picked up an N3 offramp in Spruitview by Meyiwa, Kelly, Zandi and Thwala before they bought alcohol on their way to Kelly’s home in Vosloorus.

Thwala says after Meyiwa was confirmed dead and Mandisa had arrived at the hospital together with some of Meyiwa’s team, he noticed the was a car that was leaving with Kelly in it and he stopped it looking for Madlala.

“I wanted to ask where Tumelo was. He was in that car and I asked him to come with me to sleep at my home. He insisted on leaving with Kelly and as I learned later, they went to Mulbarton,” says Thwala.

He says he remained at the hospital with his friend until the early hours of the morning.

Thwala has also told the court the fight that took place at the hospital was not between Kelly and Mandisa, but between Kelly and some people who could not identify from where he was sitting.

In fact, Thwala says both Kelly and Mandisa hugged and looked like they were comforting each other moments before the fight that ensued at the hospital. He says during this time, Mandisa was right by his side.

Thwala: When the argument and the fight took place, Mandisa was right next to me. It was not a fight between Mandisa and Kelly.

I wouldn’t know what the fight was all about.#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial #SenzoMeyiwa

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 3, 2023

In 2020, Muzi Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonnke Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Ntuli were charged with Meyiwa’s murder, attempted murder of other witnesses, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.

They have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

It is the state’s case that on the night of 26 October 2014, two intruders allegedly stormed into Kelly Khumalo’s mother, Gladness’ house in Vosloorus where Meyiwa, Madlala, Gladness, Kelly, Zandi Khumalo, Longwe Twala, and Mthokozisi Thwala were sitting in the lounge watching TV.

The alleged first intruder, who was short, had a hat on, had dreadlocks, and armed with a gun, is said to have demanded cellphones and money. This was moments before he was pushed over by Longwe Twala as he (Longwe) ran out of the house just before a commotion ensued in the house in the presence of the second alleged intruder, before a shot that killed Meyiwa went off.

Thwala has so far corroborated this version of events.