The state’s fourth witness in the Senzo Meyiwa trial has admitted that his account of what happened at Kelly Khumalo’s Vosloorus home on 26 October 2014, is not the same as what Meyiwa’s friend, Tumelo Madlala, told the same court.
According to Thwala, he says he saw Meyiwa in a tussle with the alleged first intruder who carried a gun. Thwala says the pushing between the former Bafana Bafana goalminder and the gunman then began in the sitting room and proceeded to the kitchen. He says despite him (Thwala) being next to the fridge, in clear view of the people who were in the kitchen, he only saw Meyiwa struggling with the gunman.
He says the alleged second intruder who was tall was there in the kitchen, but he never saw him struggle with Meyiwa. `
Mnisi: Was there a tussle between Senzo and the second suspect?
Thwala: I wouldn’t say that I saw it. #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwaTrial
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 11, 2023
This is a direct contradiction of what Madlala told the same court last year.
According to Madlala, Meyiwa fought with the tall intruder and pressed him against the wall before, Madlala punched him in the face moments before a shot went off.
Madlala told the court that at this time, Zandi Khumalo and her mother, Gladness, were assaulting the intruder with a gun with one of his crutches.
Advocate Charles Mnisi, despite numerous objections from the state, was unrelenting in trying to get the concession from Thwala, who sometimes wryly smiled, that indeed his version about which of the two alleged intruders Meyiwa had fought was not in line with what Madlala had previously told the court.
Mnisi: That’s exactly my point. You never said the second suspect tussled with the deceased. You just said he was there.
Thwala: Yes
Mnisi: You always mentioned the tussle was between the deceased and the gunman.
Thwala: Yes
Mnisi: In the kitchen
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 11, 2023
Thwala put this down to the panic that gripped everyone saying the could not have seen the same things the same way.
Thwala: I don’t think we will say the same thing because we won’t see the same thing in the same way.
Mnisi: I am not asking you that. I am asking you, do you see there is a contradiction?
Thwala: Yes, we are not the same thing.#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwa
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 11, 2023
Mnisi concluded his cross-examination of Thwala putting it to him that “you have come here to put a particular narrative on how the deceased died in the house”.
Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, for accused 4, is currently cross-examining the witness.
On Wednesday, he accused Thwala of trying to evade to describe how the pushing unfolded.
According to Thwala, an intruder with a gun entered the house and demanded cellphones and money; Longwe Twala stood up and pushed the gunman as he ran out of the house; then Meyiwa and Tumelo Madlala rose as Meyiwa started pushing the gunman towards the kitchen.
That’s what Thwala says he saw but despite being witness to that pushing, he says he is unable to explain how it happened. He says this is so because it was at this time that he turned his back on the pushing as he went to grab his phone which was on the TV stand.
Defense for accused 3, Advocate Charles Mnisi sought to get a detailed account of exactly of what happened on the night of 26 October 2014 when allegedly two intruders invaded Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus and demanded cellphones and money before Meyiwa was murdered.
“If you are unable to describe it, then why do you say there was a pushing?” asked Mnisi.
“I think I did mention it. Senzo stood up and when I saw that they were pushing each other towards the question, that’s when I turned around to fetch my phone,” says Thwala.
Th trial continues.
