'Three shots were fired,' says Zandi Khumalo in fresh Meyiwa trial

Three gunshots went off in the Vosloorus house where football star Senzo Meyiwa was murdered in October 2014.

“That is according to Zandile Khumalo — the sister of Meyiwa's then girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, who was present when Meyiwa was killed.

Zandile had on Tuesday taken to the stand in the high court in Pretoria in the murder trial which has now started in de novo (from scratch). She relayed her version of what happened the night Meyiwa was shot.

Retired judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng took over the trial from judge Tshifhiwa Maumela.

Meyiwa was gunned down in what was described as a botched robbery in the presence of his then-girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, her mother Ntombi, sister Zandi, Zandi’s boyfriend Longwe Twala and Senzo’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are standing trial for premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition. 

The trial was already under way with Zandi on the stand, when the decision to restart the trial was taken. Four witnesses had already concluded their testimonies.

Wearing sunglasses, a small bag clutched under her arm, with a bottle of sparkling water with her, Zandi took to the stand on Tuesday, positioning all these items as she made herself comfortable .

Zandi testified how the two intruders came into the house as her sister, Kelly, was standing and telling a joke.

This was as everyone sat in the sitting area, where a TV stand sits between two black couches facing each other. According to Zandi, on the left-hand couch, sitting next to the TV stand was Tumelo, followed by Mthokozisi, Senzo and next to him was Kelly on the ottoman.

On the right-hand side couch, she said, her mother sat next to the TV stand, and she sat next to her.

Before that, she said they had been eating and drinking while watching an “English soccer match”.

Longwe, who had arrived later that day in a red Polo Vivo joined Zandi on the couch which was on the right. He sat next to her at the far end of the couch, Zandi told the court. 

Recounting her step-by-step account of what had happened, she said about 7:30pm to 8pm, from where she was sitting she saw the kitchen door opening and peeked through. She saw two men in the passage.

The first intruder who was “short with dreadlocks” was the first to come in, and the second “tall intruder” stood in the middle of the passage.

Zandi testified that the place was well-lit as the lights were on. 

She told the court that the first intruder pointed a gun at them and said “hhiphani imali nama phone (take out money and phones)”.

Fighting back tears, Zandi said Kelly ran into one of the bedrooms and was followed by the second intruder who tried to force open the door as Kelly pushed back.

According to Zandi, the first person to stand up was Longwe, who pushed the intruder with dreadlocks.

“Longwe ran out, leaving through the kitchen door. I took my phone and hid it behind a cushion where I was sitting. We all stood up and passed the (intruder) who was fighting the door with Kelly and pushed both intruders to the kitchen,” she said.

However, Zandi did indicate that she does not remember the order in which everyone else stood up.

“We were busy fighting them. I saw Tumelo’s crutch on the floor next to the heater, and I tried to hit the second tall intruder but I couldn't reach. Tumelo took the crutch from me and hit the man with it,” she said.

Zandi further said she later realised that Kelly had joined the fight.

“I heard a gunshot going off, I heard something hitting the floor. A spark went off and it hit me on my right foot.”

Continuing with her testimony, she said she ran into the bathroom as Tumelo ran into one of the bedrooms.

While squatting in the bathroom, Zandi heard another gunshot in the kitchen. The gunshot went off for the third time in the kitchen, but according to Zandi, it didn't make the same sound it made before.

After some quietness, Zandi said she peeked through the bathroom door and saw Senzo in a crouched position with his arms wrapped around his stomach, walking towards the sitting area.

She said he bundled himself in between the TV stand and one of the couches.

He was followed by Kelly and her mother from behind.

“After I saw the first (intruder) with dreadlocks following them to the dining room. Kelly stood behind Senzo and my mother stood next to them but just next to the couch where she was seated,” Zandi said.

Zandi said her mother took Kelly's phone on the TV stand which she had been charging earlier.

As she continued, she said she saw the short man hit her mother with an elbow on her stomach and “the phone fell out of her hand and she fell on the couch.”

She alleges that Kelly's phone was taken by the intruder.

“I saw him turning as if he was coming towards me and I went inside the toilet and closed. I didn't spend much time, I peeked through again and I saw that he didn't come to me so it means he went out the door,” she said.

When Zandi finally came out of the bathroom, she said Senzo was kneeling between the TV stand and the couch while Kelly was behind him, balancing him.

She said she realised that Senzo was bleeding from his chest. 

When Zandi took out her phone which she had hidden under a cushion, she tried to call '10111' but said “my mind just froze”.

Realising that she couldn't dial she said she ran out to get help from her mother's friend, Maphiri, in the neighbourhood.

Zandi looked up trying to hold back tears as she blinked rapidly.

She said she passed Nthabiseng (a relative of Maphiri) talking to someone in a parked car and passed heading straight to Maphiri who was outside the house.

“I asked her to call the police and an ambulance and that Senzo has been shot in the house ... [that] there were intruders.”

She said after seeing both Maphiri and Nthabiseng panicking, she went back to the house as she realised she wasn't getting any help.

On arrival, Zandi said she found Mthokozisi, Khaya and Bulelani (the neighbour's children) helping carry Senzo to put him in the vehicle.

Zandi said she assisted in getting him inside the car and Kelly drove the car to Botshelong hospital. She said she sat behind the driver's seat, and Mthokozisi and Tumelo were also in the car.

A towel was being used to put pressure on the gunshot wound.

Earlier in the day, the proceedings kicked off with state prosecutor George Baloyi reading the indictment and stating the charges.

Outlining the structure of the trial to the court, Baloyi said the state will start by calling witnesses who were in the house the night of the murder, and neighbours who will give evidence with the help of a photo album of the crime scene.

He said the state would call two photographers and also lead ballistic evidence.

According to Baloyi, the state will call the forensic field officers and other officers who attended the scene.

Evidence from a cellphone analyst and private people to whom utterances were made by some of the accused will also be led.

Baloyi said there will also be a trial within a trial.

Mokgoatlheng, who has so far been decisive, has displayed that he is time cautious and wants to avoid unnecessary delays.

The trial is sent to continue on Wednesday. 

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