State witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Jack Buthelezi, told the Pretoria high court that in 2020, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi told him that police had arrested him for killing Meyiwa along with his friends.
Buthelezi, who told the court that he takes Ntanzi as a brother, testified that he met him in 2008 and later lived with him in a hostel in Rustenburg in 2019.
During examination in chief, Buthelezi said: "He said they were at a party in the company of his friends — Maphisa and them ... They injured Meyiwa. They killed Meyiwa."
Buthelezi said Ntanzi said this and then cried while in a police vehicle.
Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are accused of killing the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates football star.
Giving a background, Buthelezi said he first met Ntanzi in 2008 at a traditional ceremony. They met again after that and built a friendship.
Buthelezi told the court that when Ntanzi's job was about to end, he moved to Impala mine, where he stayed in an informal settlement.
After the Covid-19 lockdown, Buthelezi said when he came back home from work, he received a message that Ntanzi was arrested. He said Ntanzi called, stating that he would be appearing in court and asked him to come and see him.
However, Buthelezi missed Ntanzi at Tlhabane court, later meeting him in town in Rustenburg, where he was in a police car, chained in the presence of the police unit popularly known as the beret police.
"While inside, I asked him what happened and he told me he was arrested," said Buthelezi.
First, Buthelezi said Ntanzi said he was arrested for a case which has to do with ammunition and also told him about the Meyiwa case.
"I took out R500, gave it to him and walked away. That's how we parted ways," he said.
He said Ntanzi had told him this while inside the police car in earshot of officers who were present.
During cross-examination with defence lawyers Sipho Ramosepele and Zandile Mshololo, Buthelezi backtracked on his evidence, stating that Ntanzi had said: "I am arrested because it is being said that I killed Senzo."
Ramosepele also said Ntanzi said when he spoke to Buthelezi, he had said the police said they killed Meyiwa and not that he was arrested “for killing Meyiwa”.
"The police said they arrested me because I was with Maphisa, we were at a party, and we killed Senzo," said Ntanzi through his lawyer.
Buthelezi recalled that at the time he saw Ntanzi, he was smelly. He had claimed that he had not bathed since his arrest on June 16 2020 until July 13 2020.
He said since his arrests, police kept on taking the docket to court, alleging that he was sick while they had left him in the cells.
"On this day — July 13 — that was his first appearance since he was arrested on June 16 2020," said Ramosepele.
Ntanzi was fingered twice in court by eyewitnesses, who identified him as the second intruder who entered the Vosloorus home on October 26 2014.
According to Meyiwa's childhood friend, Tumelo Madlala, Ntanzi had a tussle with Meyiwa, who pinned him on the wall on the night, before a gunshot went off.
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'Police arrested me for killing Senzo Meyiwa,' Ntanzi told friend
Image: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
State witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Jack Buthelezi, told the Pretoria high court that in 2020, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi told him that police had arrested him for killing Meyiwa along with his friends.
Buthelezi, who told the court that he takes Ntanzi as a brother, testified that he met him in 2008 and later lived with him in a hostel in Rustenburg in 2019.
During examination in chief, Buthelezi said: "He said they were at a party in the company of his friends — Maphisa and them ... They injured Meyiwa. They killed Meyiwa."
Buthelezi said Ntanzi said this and then cried while in a police vehicle.
Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are accused of killing the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates football star.
Giving a background, Buthelezi said he first met Ntanzi in 2008 at a traditional ceremony. They met again after that and built a friendship.
Buthelezi told the court that when Ntanzi's job was about to end, he moved to Impala mine, where he stayed in an informal settlement.
After the Covid-19 lockdown, Buthelezi said when he came back home from work, he received a message that Ntanzi was arrested. He said Ntanzi called, stating that he would be appearing in court and asked him to come and see him.
However, Buthelezi missed Ntanzi at Tlhabane court, later meeting him in town in Rustenburg, where he was in a police car, chained in the presence of the police unit popularly known as the beret police.
"While inside, I asked him what happened and he told me he was arrested," said Buthelezi.
First, Buthelezi said Ntanzi said he was arrested for a case which has to do with ammunition and also told him about the Meyiwa case.
"I took out R500, gave it to him and walked away. That's how we parted ways," he said.
He said Ntanzi had told him this while inside the police car in earshot of officers who were present.
During cross-examination with defence lawyers Sipho Ramosepele and Zandile Mshololo, Buthelezi backtracked on his evidence, stating that Ntanzi had said: "I am arrested because it is being said that I killed Senzo."
Ramosepele also said Ntanzi said when he spoke to Buthelezi, he had said the police said they killed Meyiwa and not that he was arrested “for killing Meyiwa”.
"The police said they arrested me because I was with Maphisa, we were at a party, and we killed Senzo," said Ntanzi through his lawyer.
Buthelezi recalled that at the time he saw Ntanzi, he was smelly. He had claimed that he had not bathed since his arrest on June 16 2020 until July 13 2020.
He said since his arrests, police kept on taking the docket to court, alleging that he was sick while they had left him in the cells.
"On this day — July 13 — that was his first appearance since he was arrested on June 16 2020," said Ramosepele.
Ntanzi was fingered twice in court by eyewitnesses, who identified him as the second intruder who entered the Vosloorus home on October 26 2014.
According to Meyiwa's childhood friend, Tumelo Madlala, Ntanzi had a tussle with Meyiwa, who pinned him on the wall on the night, before a gunshot went off.
TimesLIVE
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