Emotional Zandile Khumalo recounts realisation that Senzo Meyiwa could not be saved after shooting

Zandile Khumalo teared up on Wednesday as she recalled the final moments of her sister's boyfriend, footballer Senzo Meyiwa — from the desperate dash to hospital to deathbed tensions between Kelly Khumalo and his wife Mandisa.

She began the day's testimony in the Pretoria high court by relating the rush to Botshelong hospital to get a wounded Meyiwa emergency medical treatment.

The Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper was shot during a botched home robbery nine years ago while spending a casual Sunday with friends at the Vosloorus home of Kelly and Zandi's mother Ntombi.

On Tuesday, Zandi said three shots were fired, one of which struck Meyiwa.

He was kneeling between the TV stand and the couch while Kelly was behind him, balancing him.

Zandi said she saw he was bleeding from the chest.

Her sister and his friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala helped load him into a vehicle to drive him to the hospital, with Kelly behind the wheel. She was in the back seat with the friends, and they were applying pressure to the wound to minimise the bleeding.

She was unable to hold back tears when she recalled touching Meyiwa's face and realising his temperature had dropped.

She pleaded with him: “Senzo stay with us, don't go anywhere, we are about to get to the hospital.”

“I raised his shirt and touched him on the stomach and felt that the temperature was no longer the same as his face — he was now cold on his stomach.”

Zandi estimated that from her house to the hospital, using a local taxi, it took only four to five minutes. While they sat in the waiting room after Meyiwa was admitted, her mother arrived with Longwe, who was Zandi's boyfriend at the time.

Her mother had passed by the room where Meyiwa was and burst out crying. “When she reached us, she said she was told that Senzo is no more. We were all standing there crying and hurt,” she said.

Longwe's father Chicco Twala also arrived around that time. She said she could see that he was hurt at hearing of Meyiwa's passing.

When Meyiwa's wife Mandisa wife arrived, alongside some soccer players, there was a fight as Mandisa's friends pulled Kelly's hair, she said.

Zandi said she later accompanied Kelly into the room where Senzo was kept to say their final goodbyes.

“Kelly spoke to him and kissed him on his forehead and removed the earrings he was wearing. I think he also had a watch on and she also removed it. She then said her goodbyes and we left the room.”

Five men are on trial. Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli have pleaded not guilty.

The case continues.

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