The murder trial of Senzo Meyiwa continues to cause division within his family; notably, his brother is calling for the release of the five men currently standing trial and for the case to be reopened for reinvestigation.
Image: Independent Media Archives
The murder trial of soccer legend Senzo Meyiwa, currently under way at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, has caused a deep rift within his family.
His elder brother, Sifiso Meyiwa, is actively campaigning to have the charges dropped against the five men accused, an effort that has been labelled “total madness”.
Sifiso wants the murder of his brother, who was killed at the home of his music star girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, in 2014, to be reinvestigated.
He firmly believes that the police and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are protecting the true culprits — those who were inside the house when the fatal shot was fired — by prosecuting the current accused.
This disagreement has severely strained Sifiso's relationship with his cousin, Siyabonga Miya, who previously served as the family's media spokesperson on the case.
According to Hubert Maphumulo, the tension stems directly from the trial.
Maphumulo stated that Miya “suddenly changed tune and started following a different scripted narrative” from Sifiso and his mother, leading Sifiso to feel betrayed and distance himself from his cousin.
The five men accused of killing Senzo Meyiwa at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Earlier this month, Sifiso laid charges of defeating the ends of justice against police investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda and State prosecutor Advocate George Baloyi at the Bhekithemba police station in Umlazi, south of Durban.
He claims they brought men to court who had “nothing to do with his brother’s murder”.
Before the arrests, both Sifiso and Miya believed the killer was among the people inside the Khumalo house.
However, Miya's perspective shifted after the five men were apprehended; he now trusts the police and the court to deliver justice for Senzo.
Miya confirmed the breakdown in their relationship, stating: “Sifiso is Senzo’s brother and I am just a cousin, and I don’t want to be involved in this anymore... I am not part of Sifiso’s madness as all I want is justice, which I think this trial will achieve.”
Sifiso, however, downplayed the situation, saying: “We are not quarrelling, but we have different opinions.”
Sifiso's rejection of the current prosecution is a stark contradiction to Miya's earlier stance.
Five years ago, as the family spokesperson, Miya welcomed the arrests, telling IOL: “We are happy that people have been arrested because there was no closure for the family. We are hopeful that after this development, things will get better.”
Sifiso insists the police should reinvestigate the individuals who were present with Senzo.
He alleges that the original police docket implicating the people in the house “mysteriously disappeared” and was replaced by docket 636, which names the five accused. He views the prosecution of the five men as “defeating the ends of justice”.
In his efforts to halt the trial, Sifiso stated he opened a criminal case this month for defeating the ends of justice at Bhekithemba in Umlazi, which was subsequently transferred to Boksburg.
He chose to pursue a criminal case rather than present evidence in the Pretoria High Court because he doubts the court would hear him.
“Therefore, we prefer that there should be a separate investigation because there is an intention to convict the wrong people,” he explained.
Sifiso Meyiwa, who is the late Senzo Meyiwa’s brother.
Image: Nqobile Mbonambi / Independent Newspapers
This month, Sifiso emailed several high-ranking officials — Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia, Justice Minister Mmammoloko Kubayi, National Director of Public Prosecution Advocate Andy Lekgoa Mothibi, and Chief Justice Mandisa Maya — requesting their intervention.
He wrote on behalf of the family, asking the national government to ensure the recently opened case against Adv Baloyi and his “accomplices” is treated with urgency.
He cited “circumstantial evidence of defeating the ends of justice... as Prosecutor Baloyi continues submitting Mr Ntanzi's (Accused No 2) cellphone records that were fraudulently manufactured by SAPS”.
In January 2019, Sifiso had opened a similar case at the Vosloorus police station, aiming to force the police to revive the investigation into the people who were with Senzo.
He called for the Hawks to investigate “whether or not there were intruders in the house”.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the case Sifiso opened in Umlazi but could not comment further, as the cases are linked to the ongoing, subjudicated trial proceedings in the Pretoria High Court.
Mathe emphasised: “We (police) bring the docket to court, so it is the NPA, not Brigadier Gininda, who took the five accused to court based on the evidence that implicates them.”
She added that the denial of bail to the accused suggests “the State has a case against them”.
NPA spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, said the entity was not yet aware of the cases Sifiso opened.
“We urge the affected persons to follow up on this with the relevant investigating officer.
“The matter is before the court, hence it is sub judice. We call on everyone to respect the court and allow the matter to be ventilated at court,” said Kganyago.
AfriForum, which represented the Meyiwa family in the murder investigation, supports the current prosecution.
Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the AfriForum Private Prosecution Unit, stated: “We are confident that those being prosecuted are responsible for the murder, and the fact that the accused failed in their Section 174 application demonstrates that they have a case to answer. We commend Adv. George Baloyi for his handling of a case that has been beset by endless delays, which have caused further injustice to the family.”
The five men standing trial before Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli. They were arrested on October 26, 2020.
The Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain was with Kelly Khumalo, her mother Gladness Khumalo, her sister Zandile Gumede, Longwe Twala, Tumelo Madlala, and Mthokozisi Twala when the fatal gunshot was fired on October 26, 2014.
Senzo's father, Samuel Meyiwa, passed away on July 29, 2019, reportedly with a broken heart due to the lengthy delay in bringing his son's murder suspects to trial.
bongani.hans@inl.co.za