Winnie Madikizela-Mandela made use of a crutch as she walked into the court with her daughters Zenani and Zindzi as well as Zoleka, the mother of the victim

A STATE witness told the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court yesterday that the driver of the vehicle in which Zenani Mandela was killed was not driving recklessly or negligently.

Sizwe Mankazana, the driver of the Mercedes-Benz on the night Nelson Mandela's great-granddaughter was killed, is facing a charge of culpable homicide.

Johannesburg Metro police officer Henry Miller yesterday continued his testimony as the scene investigator and photographer, stating that the steel guard rail that penetrated the left rear of the luxury vehicle was damaged and caused the severity of the accident.

Mankazana listened as Miller essentially absolved him of the culpable homicide charges.

"I knew for a fact that the guard rail was damaged," Miller said.

He explained that the guard rail was split in two and curled into an "S" shape during the accident, which then hooked into the car and catapulted it, causing the excessive speed.

The car then landed on its left rear where it came to a stop. "If it (the steel guard rail) was not damaged the car would have carried on for about 20 metres before it came to a complete stop," Miller said.

Miller based his testimony on the evidence found at the scene as well as from previous accident scenes that were similar to this one.

He told the court that he believed Mankazana could not have been driving at a speed higher than between 120-135km/h.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela made use of a crutch as she walked into the court with her daughters Zenani and Zindzi as well as Zoleka, the mother of the victim.

Mankazana was driving the 13-year-old girl back home from the 2010 Soccer World Cup opening ceremony concert on June 10, 2010.

The case resumes tomorrow.