Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Kelly Khumalo not expected to testify

Kelly Khumalo will not be called in to testify in the ongoing inquiry into the murder of former South African national team goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, with prosecutor, advocate George Baloyi, on Monday confirming to the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that the state would not be calling her in as a witness.

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 Tumelo Madlala.

Advocate Baloyi revealed that Khumalo would not be called in to testify as the defence cross-examined her sister, Zandile, during Monday’s proceedings.

Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, for the defence, pointed to inconsistencies in the testimonies of the two sisters on the events leading to the fatal shooting of Meyiwa.

“You told this court the first gunshot was in the kitchen. But a statement by your sister, Kelly, suggests the struggle was in the dining room,” said Nxumalo.

Zandile said she could not answer, and that he was welcome to call Kelly to ask her because she was still alive.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng then asked Baloyi whether the State would call Kelly as a witness – to which Baloyi responded, “no”.

However, Nxumalo told the court the defence would bring an application for Kelly to testify.