Kelly Khumalo’s sister Zandie Khumalo has been excused from court after completing her testimony as a state witness in the Senzo Meyiwa trial at the High Court in Pretoria. Zandie was on the stand for a second week in the restart of the Senzo Meyiwa’s trial since a new judge was appointed two weeks ago.

HONEYMOON PHASE

State Advocate George Baloyi re-examined Zandie and asked her about the nature of her relationship with her then-boyfriend Longwe Twala, who is musician Chicco Twala’s son. Baloyi referred to a message that Zandie sent to Longwe asking if she could sleep over at his place.  "How would you characterise your relationship with Longwe," Baloyi asked, to which Zandie responded, "My relationship with Longwe didn’t last long and here it was still fairly new. I would say it was still in the honeymoon stage." Baloyi asked Zandie to describe her relationship with Longwe and Zandie Khumalo maintained that, "He used to call me Angel, Baby, Sunshine".

WHO KILLED SENZO?

Before Zandie could step down, Judge Ratha Mokgoathleng said there was something that baffled him regarding Zandie’s testimony. "They put it to you that no two intruders ever entered the house. Have you heard that? Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo (of the defence) went further to say one of you who were in the house killed Senzo." Responding to Judge Mokgoathleng Zandie said, "I heard that but what I will request is that they prove it.That’s not true. None of us killed Senzo and if they have such evidence they must bring that evidence," she said, adding: "One moment they say there were no intruders and then they ask me about the intruders which is baffling. When would we have had the chance to build up that story, others went out and I was the last to go out to go to MaPhiri (the neighbour) and when we came back we went to the hospital. When we came back from the hospital, there were police officers at home," Zandie told the court. Mokgoathleng went on to say that he was also baffled that the neighbours didn’t see anyone run up or down the street to which Zandie responded, "What I know is that the people took statements of the neighbours. As to the contents of those statements, I have no idea." The judge went on to say it was puzzling that the intruder could just vanish.

NEXT WITNESS

A second witness in the trial took the stand today. Khaya Ngcatshe a neighbour who lived next door to Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus began his testimony after Zandie. Ngcatshe said he thought his neighbours had a party because he heard screams and commotion the night Senzo was shot. He told the court that he then peeped through his bedroom window into his neighbour’s home and saw a person wearing a white T-shirt with his back against the kitchen door before a shot was fired.