Senzo Meyiwa: Suspects & their families profess innocence, as his loved ones must wait longer

27 November 2020 - 13:54 By naledi shange
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The case against the five men implicated in the murder of Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was postponed to March 5 in the Boksburg magistrate’s court on Friday.

But this was not before several theatrics played out in court, as one of the accused, Mthobisi Mncube - who like the others has maintained his innocence - spoke over the magistrate, wanting his plea to be heard.

Mncube wanted to be afforded the opportunity to address the court and the media. Speaking in isiZulu, he shouted out that the court was playing games and should allow them to speak.

The five suspects in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, seen in court on Friday November 27 2020.
The five suspects in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, seen in court on Friday November 27 2020.
Image: AforForum

Magistrate Hans Havenga, however, replied by telling him that this was not a media conference and he should rather address the press in his own time.

Mncube also tried to get his message across through the T-shirt he wore to court. On the front of the shirt were the words, “I want justice to be done. I'm not a killer of Senzo Meyiwa.”

The reverse of the T-shirt said: “Ask the people who were there, they know the truth.”

Mthobisi Mncube spelt out his plea on his clothing.
Mthobisi Mncube spelt out his plea on his clothing.
Image: AfriForum via Twitter

He was referring to the group of people who were present when Meyiwa was gunned down at the home of his then girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus on the East Rand in October 2014. Also present that day were Khumalo’s mother Ntombi, her sister Zandi, Zandi’s boyfriend Longwe Twala, his friends Mthokozisi Twala and Tumelo Madlala, and their son, who was four years old at the time.

Outside court, the family of another co-accused shared the same sentiments as Mncube.

TimesLIVE spoke to Scelo Ntuli, the uncle of Sfiso Ntuli, another of the accused.

Standing alongside family members of some of the other accused, he said: “I came here to follow the proceedings since I knew he was appearing today. We won’t say much about [his guilt or innocence] since we don’t roam around with him. But we feel that the truth is not being revealed.

“We feel that the real perpetrators are being hidden and protected. We don’t understand why the people who were there when this incident happened are not here and are not being asked anything at all.

“The way we see it, the people who were there know what happened,” he said.

Ntuli said as a family, they were battling to understand how, when Meyiwa was shot back in 2014, the police had been seemingly looking for one shooter, yet now there were several people, including a mastermind who is yet to be arrested, who are implicated in the killing.

“We don’t know how Sfiso is involved in it all.

“ My wish is that Senzo’s real killer will be found. It would be unfortunate if the wrong person gets convicted,” Ntuli said.

A few metres away from him were Senzo’s two sisters and his brother who had attended court proceedings on Friday.

It had been an emotional day for the Meyiwa sisters who had silently wept through the proceedings.

Present in court for the suspects' second appearance were Meyiwa’s three siblings, Sifiso, Nhlanhla and Zama. The female siblings of the late soccer star wore T-shirts bearing a picture of the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalie.
Present in court for the suspects' second appearance were Meyiwa’s three siblings, Sifiso, Nhlanhla and Zama. The female siblings of the late soccer star wore T-shirts bearing a picture of the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalie.
Image: AfriForum via Twitter

Speaking on behalf of the family, Sifiso Meyiwa said while it may seem that justice was slow, the postponement of the matter gave them hope that the police were coming up with more information that could lead to a stronger case and even a conviction.

However, his mother Ntombifuthi was not coping as they were waiting for justice to unfold, he said.

Advocate Gerrie Nel, from AfriForum’s private prosecutions unit, told the media that he was disappointed that the police were yet to charge the alleged mastermind but he too expressed confidence that the matter would yet come to a head.

“I thought we had enough to arrest the mastermind and bring them before court, but what I can reveal is that I have been briefed by the police and the NPA and, as we stand here, we have more evidence against the mastermind now than we had the last time,” he said, adding that this made the case stronger.

“I am disappointed at the delay of three months or more because our clients need closure ... But I am now more certain that this postponement is to make sure that the mastermind appears before court,” said Nel.

All the accused are behind bars.

TimesLIVE


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