Longtime friend of Senzo Meyiwa disputes Kelly Khumalo account of events

Tumelo Madlala, a long-time friend of slain South African goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, has disputed a statement given by singer Kelly Khumalo about the night that the football star was fatally shot.

Madlala was cross-examined at the Gauteng North High Court as the inquest into the death of the former Orlando Pirates captain continued.

Khumalo was Meyiwa’s girlfriend when he was brutally slain in 2014. She was also present when the former Orlando Pirates star was shot at her family’s home in Vosloorus in KZN.

Also present in the house on the fateful night when Meyiwa was killed were Zandile Khumalo and her boyfriend Longwe Twala, their mother Ntombi and two of Meyiwa’s friends from KwaZulu-Natal, Mthokozisi Thwala and Madlala.

Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, who is representing one of the five men accused of killing Meyiwa, read a statement that Khumalo made to police after her former boyfriend was shot.

“I saw a spot of blood on his back and then I turned him over and I saw a lot of blood on his chest,” Nxumalo said, reading from the singer’s statement.

“He fell onto the couch and I held him while screaming for help. At that time, the gunman was still in the house and my son was standing next to him,” he quoted.

This, Advocate Nxumalo said, was in contradiction to what Madlala had said. However, Madlala disputed Khumalo’s version of events.

“I don’t know what she was talking about, she must come and explain that because even the blood she’s talking about, I didn’t see it, I only saw blood spots,” he said.

“I’m here for my statement and what I saw, everyone will come and explain their side, I can’t be saying anything on their behalf,”, Madlala said when Nxumalo went on further and pointed out other contradictions which were made by other witnesses.