Pretoria – Music mogul Chicco Twala was overheard asking singer Kelly Khumalo if she would not want to undertake a holiday abroad after the death of Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in October 2014.
After the murder of Meyiwa, his friend Tumelo Madlala spent time with Kelly at Mulbarton, a suburb located in the south of Joburg, where the deceased footballer and his socialite girlfriend shared a town house.
“I am not sure about the day, but while I was still at Mulbarton, Chicco Twala arrived. Kelly was crying a lot those days, and I was not well. She is the one who informed Chicco that this is Senzo’s friend. Chicco Twala is Longwe’s father,” Madlala told the court.
“I heard him speak to Kelly, enquiring from Kelly if she did not want to go overseas from some holiday.”
Meyiwa was killed on October 26, 2014, while in the company of his girlfriend and the mother of his child, Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus.
In the house that day were Meyiwa, Kelly and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo (MaKhumalo), Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, Kelly’s then 4-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
Five men, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifokuhle Ntuli, are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as possession of ammunition.
All of the accused have pleaded not guilty.
Earlier, Madlala told the court how a brawl broke out at the Botshelong Hospital in Vosloorus soon after the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates ace goalkeeper died.
Madlala is the first witness among the people who were in the house when Meyiwa was shot during an alleged home invasion in October 2014 at the residence of his girlfriend and musician Kelly Khumalo.
Madlala described the ugly scene which followed when Meyiwa’s wife, Mandisa, arrived at the hospital.
“I was crying and I asked him, Senzo is this what you called me to come and witness? He was lying on a stretcher facing upwards. I kissed him on the forehead, and Kelly removed Senzo’s watch from his hand, and we left him in the room. The nurses led us to a waiting area with benches,” Madlala said.
“By that time, it became very full at the hospital. Even Mandisa, Senzo’s wife, arrived. I do not know who she was with. Several soccer players from (Orlando) Pirates also arrived, many cars came in. It became chaotic by the glass doors of the hospital, I think Mandisa and Kelly were at each other. I saw hair lying on the floor.
“I do not know if it was Mandisa or her friend, but there was a fight. I then saw the hair,” Madlala said.
Asked by Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela to explain whether it was “hair or wig”, Madlala said it was braids commonly worn on top of hair.
On Tuesday, Madlala wept uncontrollably, forcing an early adjournment to his much-anticipated testimony in court.
Madlala flew in from Durban on Monday afternoon to give testimony in the high-profile murder case.
The trial continues.
IOL