The hunt for the killers of Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa by the South African police has finally resulted in the arrest of a group of young men in the country. Meyiwa, born Senzo Robert Meyiwa, was fatally shot in October 2014 and subsequently declared dead on arrival at the hospital.
The son of Samuel Meyiwa and Nombifuthi Meyiwa, the talented goalkeeper was born on January 24, 1984, in Umlazi, southwest of Durban in KwaZulu Natal. He was buried at Heroes Acre Cemetery in KwaZulu-Natal on November 1, 2014, after his painful death in the presence of an overwhelming number of mourners. The 1.75 meters tall professional footballer made 109 appearances for Orlando Pirates from 2005 until he died in 2014.
Senzo Meyiwa Was Murdered In His Girlfriend’s House
Who can forget the tragic death of Sezo Meyiwa who was murdered in October 2014? The Bafana Bafana player’s football career was cut short in October 2014 when he visited his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s house in Vosloorus, Ekuhureni, in Gauteng. An argument is said to have ensued in the house between Senzo and his killers before he was fatally gunned down.
According to some sources, the footballer and his girlfriend were not the only people in the house when the incident took place. Kelly’s mother Gladness Khumalo, her sister Zandile Lorraine Khumalo, Zandile’s boyfriend Longwe Twala, as well as Twala’s friends – Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Twala – were in the lounge when the gunshot that led to Senzo’s death was fired.
Following his death, a post-mortem was carried out, and the cause of his death was given as “consistent with a bullet wound of the chest involving the heart and lung.”
Three People Were Initially Believed To Have Taken Part In The Shooting
Initial reports about Senzo Meyiwa’s death had it that three people were involved in the shooting and that two of them carried out the operation while one waited outside the house. The police later released composite images of two of the suspects, after which an arrest was made at that time.
The first suspect that was arrested and tried in the court of law was Zamokuhle Matha. He was apprehended a few days after the incident and later set free on November 11 because no evidence was found against him. The man later disclosed that he would be suing the State more than R17 million as compensation for wrongful arrest.
Five Suspects Have Been Arraigned In The Law Court For The Murder Of Senzo Meyiwa
While the death of the Orlando Pirates keeper is tragic, the public believes it is even more heartbreaking it took relevant authorities a long time to fish out the suspects in the footballer’s murder case. The Meyiwa family, however, tasted justice for the first time since the goalkeeper was killed in October 2020 when five suspects linked to his shooting were arraigned in the court of law.
These five, including Sifokuhle Nkani Sifiso Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa S’Themba Sibiya, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, appeared at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court exactly six years and a day after Meyiwa’s death. They were charged with robbery offenses, illegal possession of live ammunition and firearm, attempted murder, and murder.
The murder case was postponed to the 27th day of the following month by the presiding magistrate, Hans Havenga. There is no evidence yet against the suspects, and it appears they would be making their next court appearance with their lawyers. Only one of them reportedly hired a lawyer for the case.
The Court Proceeding Was Marred By Some Controversies And Mild Drama
Before the suspects’ court appearance, the South African police minister Bheki Cele had assured the public that his officers had a “watertight” case against the suspects and that more arrests would be made at the appropriate time.
The police also revealed that the suspects were linked to the crime scene through forensic and ballistic evidence and that the cold-case techniques went a long way in helping them identify the murder weapon, as well as the person who pulled the trigger on the athlete.
A mild drama, however, played out during the court appearance of the five suspects as they bluntly refused to move into the dock as instructed. They all insisted that they had no idea about the goalkeeper’s shooting and were never part of it.
One of them also accused the police of deception for arresting them and failing to arrest the real killers of the footballer because they have money. He also accused the police of a cover-up and being economical with the truth.
According to the police, the suspects were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng a couple of days before their court appearance, but one of the suspects maintained that he and his co-accused were arrested in August for various offenses. None of the accused also came with a legal representative. They were held in police custody until the day of their next appearance in court.
Is Kelly Khumalo Guilty Of Senzo Meyiwa’s Death As Alleged?
Some people have always believed that Kelly Khumalo knows the truth behind the tragic death of her former boyfriend, right from the day Meyiwa drew his last breath. The Meyiwa family has, on several occasions, questioned why their son was the only one killed in the home of the singer and entertainer. Though they’ve never named her as their son’s killer, the family believes there is more to the shooting and that there is something Khumalo may be hiding from everyone.
In a recent interview, Senzo’s mother openly revealed that she is ‘scared‘ of the entertainer. She also shared her other son’s opinion that the real killers of the footballer are not those who were paraded in court. Though she admitted that they know the ‘truth’ about the shooting and the person that pulled the trigger, Nthombifuthi Meyiwa said her biggest wish is to see Senzo Meyiwa’s killers exposed and justice served.
Kelly Khumalo has always maintained her innocence over the death of her ex-lover. She admitted that she is being hated, but that she will continue to render help where necessary so that the killers of the footballer will be arrested and punished.
The controversial actress’s lawyer Magdalene Moonsamy has disclosed that her client is not a suspect in the murder case as she is yet to be formally charged or implicated in the death of her ex-boyfriend. Moonsamy’s statement was released after it came to light (through a document) that Khumalo may have played a role in Senzo Meyiwa’s premeditated murder case.
The Document Is Said To Have Been Leaked With Malicious Intentions
Though the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) thinks otherwise, Kelly’s lawyer says the document containing part of a communication between investigating officers in the case was leaked with malicious intentions. The said document indicated that Khumalo’s cellphone must be obtained for investigation as it was alleged that one of the suspects contacted her.
It further stated that there were reports that someone lent money to Khumalo and that the lender needs to be identified too and a statement must be obtained from the person. Moonsamy, however, did not mention the names of people she feels are working out her client in the case. She, rather, called on everyone to allow the police to do their job and stop impeding the process of investigation.
More Explosive Details Were Revealed On NPA’s Charge Sheet
Apart from the NPA document stating that Kelly Khumalo’s cellphone records have to be obtained, the prosecution body also demanded answers as to why the suspects who were arraigned were transported by men of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) instead of South African Police Service (SAPS).
Though NPA’s Sipho Ngwema admitted that the charge sheet was released by mistake, he did not deny its accuracy. He assured the Meyiwa family and the public that they are working round the clock to bring the case to closure.
Afriforum Wants The Police To Reveal The Mastermind Behind The Crime
The South African civil rights organization believes that the police need to put more effort into finding and exposing the mastermind behind Meyiwa’s death. While the police and the NPA believe the footballer was killed in a botched robbery incident, Afriforum’s head of private prosecutions, advocate Gerrie Nel, thinks that there’s more to the killing of the athlete. In fact, he believes the gunmen purposely assassinated Senzo Meyiwa.
Also, Senzo’s brother Sifiso says none of those arrested appears to be the mastermind of his brother’s death and that they want to know if the killing was planned and the person that planned. Some sources also reported that the Meyiwa’s family believe that people who were present during the incident know what happened to their son.
