By: Zilungile Mkhize
The State has officially concluded its case in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, nearly eleven years after the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain and goalkeeper was shot and killed at the home of his girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, Gauteng.
After three years of presenting evidence, the prosecution wrapped up its case against five men accused of involvement in the October 2014 shooting. All five have pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The trial resumed in July 2023 under Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng, following the suspension of Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela due to delays attributed to ill health. Since then, key witnesses including forensic experts, police officers, and ballistic analysts have testified.
State prosecutor George Baloyi informed the court that the State had finalised its list of witnesses and submitted all documentation. The prosecution’s case has been built largely on cellphone records, ballistics evidence, and allegations that the shooting was a contract killing, contradicting earlier claims that it was a botched robbery.
The defence will now begin presenting its case, with its legal teams expected to challenge the credibility of the State’s evidence and call their own witnesses to the stand. Among the unresolved matters are questions around the role of individuals present in the house at the time of the shooting, including Kelly Khumalo.
The trial has drawn nationwide attention due to Meyiwa’s public stature and the numerous delays, conspiracy theories, and shifting narratives that have surrounded the case for nearly a decade.
The matter is set to resume with the defence case in the Pretoria High Court.
