Witness only realised years later that he was with Meyiwa murder suspects on day of murder

A state witness has told the Pretoria high court that he only realised years later that the men he was with on October 26 2014 at a get-together in a Vooslorus hostel were the ones who murdered footballer Senzo Meyiwa.

On Thursday, Const Sizwe Skhumbuzo Zungu testified that on that night, Meyiwa's death was celebrated with whisky.

“Thereafter I had my own knowledge where I was sure that indeed it was them (The accused),” Zungu said.

Zungu said he was sure because of an incident where they came back with guns, celebrating his death with a bottle of whisky.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are accused of killing the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates star. They face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition. They all pleaded not guilty.

Zungu placed all five men at Vosloorus hostel on the day of the murder - confirming that they knew one another.

He testified that Sibiya announced Meyiwa's death at the hostel that same night before word of the murder got out.

Zungu said the direct words uttered by Sibiya at the night of the murder were: “Have you heard that Meyiwa is no more?”

Zungu said between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, as he was seated in the main room of the hostel — the common area — Sibiya, Ntanzi and Mncube came in.

Zungu, who followed the men to the bedroom, said Sibiya was carrying a 38 revolver while Mncube was carrying a 9mm pistol.

On Tuesday, he looked at identikit pictures that had been published in a newspaper.

Zungu said after looking at the pictures, he remembered that Ntanzi was wearing a black hoodie and he had changed it when he was at the hostel. 

“That made me suspicious but it didn't take me anywhere,” he said.

He said in the newspaper it was written that one had dreadlocks, gold teeth, moustache.

“The way I saw Ntanzi, it gave me a picture that the person being described resembles him though not exactly but the description resembles him,” Zungu said.

When asked which description stood out, he said the moustache and the hoodie - the manner in which he was wearing it and how he had changed it that night.

Explaining on the dreadlocked suspect, he said it didn't click that much to him as the pictures showed unplaited dreadlocks and Mncube’s dreadlocks were plaited. “That did not make me suspect him.” 

Zungu said at the end of 2018, he had information that “these suspects suspected for the murder are the very same people that I was with on that same day at the hostel”.

He said this meant that what he had seen on that night was an indication that they were coming back from committing the murder on that night.

Zungu then spoke to his cluster commander, a General Leshabane, who said he would conduct his own investigations. However, he said he did not tell Leshabane that he was at the hostel.

Zungu said this was because he did not want to tell Leshabane that the information was coming from him, and the fact that he did not have any certainty whether those he was with at the hostel were those who killed Meyiwa.

He said later he was told by Leshabane to drop the issue and not to speak about it again for his own safety as there had been attempts to kill him.

Zungu said the relatives of Sibiya and Ntuli were the ones who had attempted to kill him.

In August 2019, Zungu said he spoke to Sibiya asking him to stop his relatives from killing him.

Further in that conversation, Zungu said Sibiya informed him of his arrest in another matter, further telling him that another problem he had was the Meyiwa issue.

“He said It's the issue of the goalkeeper. He told me that this issue is a problem and we shouldn't just openly speak about it,” Zungu said.

Zungu told the court that he also went to the national commissioner's office and was referred to Brig Bongani Gininda.

He also said there was an instance where he was accused of protecting Kelly Khumalo by W/O Joyce Buthelezi.

The trial continues.

TimesLIVE