The whereabouts of the five accused on the day Senzo Meyiwa was shot and killed will come into sharp focus when a new witness takes the stand at the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday morning.

Proceedings had to be adjourned early on Wednesday when the state called Constable Zungu to the witness stand, and the defence requested time to consult and prepare for his testimony.

According to the defence they were only furnished with Zungu’s statement the day before the proceedings and complained that as a result they had not had enough time to prepare for the trial.

Zungu, whose name was not in the witness list for security reasons, is expected to give details on the whereabouts of the five accused on the day the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was shot and killed at his former girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus.

It is understood that Zungu hails from KwaZulu-Natal and knows the accused and will, among other things, testify on whether the accused know one another.

Previously, cell phone expert and investigating officer, Lambertus Steyn, revealed cell phone communication between accused 1 Muzi Sibiya, accused 2 Bongani Ntanzi and 3 Mthobisi Mncube.

Ntanzi has also previously told the court that he knew accused 5, Fisokuhle Ntuli, although he did not explain the circumstances under which he knew him.

For the first time since the trial started, Mthokozisi Maphisa’s name came when Ntanzi’s friend, Jack Buthelezi told the court about a conversation he had had with Ntanzi following his arrest in 2020.

Buthelezi first told the court that Ntanzi had told him he had been arrested for unlawful possession of ammunition and for killing Meyiwa while he was in the company of his friends, “abo Maphisa” while they were at a party in Vosloorus.

George Baloyi: But what were his exact words, what did he say?

Buthelezi: He said they were at the party and that he was in the company of his friends, abo Maphisa. They injured, they killed Meyiwa. That’s all he said.

However, under cross-examination, Buthelezi then changed his tune and said Ntanzi had said it was the police who had said he and his friends had killed Meyiwa.

Zandile Mshololo: Mr Buthelezi, I just need to get clarification on the conversation you had with accused number 2 inside the car. Do you understand? Did accused number 2 say he is arrested because he killed Senzo or he is arrested because the police say he killed Senzo?

Buthelezi: He said I am arrested because it is said (by police) that I killed Senzo.

It was the first time Maphisa’s name had been mentioned.

Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial | Witness drops a bombshell and then makes a u-turn: Sipho Kekana

On Wednesday, the defence, unhappy that they had not been afforded sufficient time to prepare, came short of accusing the state of prosecutorial misconduct saying they needed the whole day to consult with their clients.

They called the state’s decision to produce Zungu’s statement the day before as an “irregularity.

The state says they too were only furnished with the statement on Tuesday by the investigating team, explaining further that the witness’ name did not appear on the witness list for security reasons.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng pointed that he was constrained to allow the proceedings to continue under the circumstances, saying that would infringe on the constitutional rights of the accused.

Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial | 07 September 2023