Meyiwa family: mastermind of the killing is still out there

LAWYERS for the family of slain soccer star Senzo Meyiwa say they believe more accused should be added to the list of people accused of killing the former Bafana Bafana captain.

This follows the appearance of five men accused of murdering Meyiwa in cold blood on October 26 seven years ago.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokozisi Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli appeared in the High Court sitting at the Palmridge Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where a trial date was set for April 11, 2022.

Ntuli was recently convicted of the murders of councillor Thami Goodwill Nyembe and Butiza Sandisa Mahlobo, Sphamandla Zungu and brothers Phiwayinkosi Zulu, Mcebisi Zulu and Sibusiso Zulu at the Esikhaleni Regional Court.

The Meyiwa family’s legal team said they believed Meyiwa’s murder was a contract killing.advocate Gerrie Nel, who is representing the Meyiwa family, said he believed there was a mastermind behind the murder and proceeding with the trial of the five accused without the mastermind would only make things difficult at a later stage.

Meyiwa was gunned down in October 2014 in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, in the presence of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, her mother Ntombi, sister Zandi, Zandi’s boyfriend Longwe Twala, and his friends Mthokozisi Twala and Tumelo Madlala.

“I believe this was a contract killing. If this is a contract killing then one would want the mastermind to appear with the five accused. If we take these ones to trial then it is almost impossible to get the mastermind convicted later. This is more than just a robbery gone wrong,” Nel said.

The five alleged assailants appeared in court under heavy police guard. Some of them are convicted criminals and are believed to be dangerous.

During court proceedings, both the State and lawyers for the Meyiwa family expressed concern over the safety of the nine witnesses who will testify at the trial. It is understood that the State has not submitted its affidavits in preparation of the trial in order to protect the list of witnesses.

“We are all concerned with the safety of the witnesses so the State says the affidavits will be disclosed only in March next year. It’s very hard to get a sense of the case without having access to all the information.”

Nel said he was confident that the accused being held in custody are linked to Meyiwa’s murder, but he said his team was working with police to try to rein in the mastermind,

“Based on the briefing I have, I am convinced that they are the right people and that there is a prosecutable case. I think more people should be added but the five are the right people.”

Sifiso Meyiwa, brother of the soccer star, said he believed that the five accused had been targeted to take the fall for his brother’s murder. “They targeted these guys because they are already facing murder charges. I have evidence of everything I’m saying and I will present it to the court of law.”

As a family they were frustrated because it had been years since his brother’s death but justice had not been served, he said. He further alleged there was foul play in the case because the previous task team that had been investigating had different evidence which didn’t include the five suspects.

Approached for comment on Sifiso Meyiwa’s claims, national police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo said he must go to court with the evidence he claims to have.