Crucial Senzo clues

Police are closing in on the identities of the killers of Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa.

Two identikits of the murderers were released yesterday and sources close to the investigation said forensic analysts were speeding up DNA testing of evidence gathered from the East Rand house in which the player was shot.

Meyiwa, whose autopsy was completed yesterday, was shot dead in the Vosloorus house of the mother of his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, on Sunday night.

Tests - which follow the hiring of private investigators by his family - are being conducted on a hat in which hairs were apparently discovered, and a glove found in the entranceway of the house. The hat and glove are believed to have been ripped off the killer as Meyiwa's friend struggled to disarm him.

Also under analysis is atelephone call made to Crime Stop.

Police say they will follow all leads in their investigation. They are hoping the DNA analysis, being conducted at the SA Police Service's Pretoria Forensic Science Laboratory, will reveal the identities of those involved in the shooting through links to other crimes.

Investigators spent more than an hour interviewing Meyiwa's estranged wife, Mandisa Mkhize, at Vosloorus police station yesterday.

A spokesman for the Meyiwa family, Siyabonga Miya, said Mkhize was a strong woman who "is using prayer to help her and their children". A detective with knowledge of the DNA investigation and telephone call probes said: "The evidence being looked at is crucial, especially if you look at what was recovered from the hat. The identikits are being compared against our databases.

"Specific analysis is being done on the telephone call."

Miya said the family had a message for the killers: "We hope you find peace with what you have done wherever you are.

"To the South African nation, we call on you now more than ever to support Bafana Bafana and our football soldiers. Support them like you have never supported them before."

Asked why the family had hired private investigators, he said they believed that somewhere someone knew the killers.

"The police need assistance in getting information. This will help."

Shaheen Suleiman, CEO of Magma Security and Investigation, said: "We have dispatched 10 investigators, all experienced former police officers, to Gauteng.

"We will use our informers in the area to gather intelligence, which we will provide to the police."

Police spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila said the interviewing of Meyiwa's wife was standard procedure. "There is nothing sinister. As was pointed out by the lead investigator, Major-General Norman Taioe, Mkhize is not viewed as a suspect."

On the appointment of private investigators, Malila said they welcomed any assistance.

"We are focusing on our investigation, and will, should the need arise, share information."

He declined to comment on evidence gathered or the status of the analyses of the evidence, saying: "This is crucial for when the case comes before court."

Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba asked the public to allow the police to do their job.

"Let's stop speculating [about the shooting] and wait for the truth to come out," said Mashaba, who yesterday visited Meyiwa's family home in Umlazi with Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula and SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan.

Meyiwa will be buried in Durban on Saturday after a funeral at King Zwelithini Stadium.