LIVE BLOG | Zandi Khumalo takes the stand in Senzo Meyiwa trial

Kelly Khumalo's sister Zandile Khumalo-Gumede is currently testifying in the Pretoria high court in the trial of five men accused of the murder of Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.

On Monday, Zandi Khumalo-Gumede applied for a complete media blackout for the duration of her testimony. But that application has been dismissed.

Delivering the judgment on Thursday, judge Tshifhiwa Maumela said the witness did not give sufficient evidence prohibiting her testimony from being broadcast live. 

12:00 - Court resumes

12:05 - Zandile Lorraine Khumalo-Gumede is read her rights and is asked to confirm her place of residence in 2014. 

Khumalo-Gumede explains that she met Meyiwa trough her sister Kelly Khumalo. She tells the court that the relationship between her sister and Meyiwa started between 2012 and 2013. 

Khumalo-Gumede states that Meyiwa stayed in Buccleuch however at the time Meyiwa passed, he was living with Kelly in Mulbarton. 

Khumalo-Gumede begins explaining the events of 26 October 2012 which resulted in the death of Meyiwa. 

12:20 - Khumalo-Gumede explains that Mthokozisi Thwala had slept over. Both Meyiwa and Kelly were also there.

Meyiwa and Thwala had planned on attending Rooi Mahamutsa's party however when they arrived it had not started so all four left for Kelly's performance at Dorothy Nyembe park. 

Khumalo-Gumede says while they were travelling, Meyiwa was speaking to Tumelo Madlala on the phone to find out how far [away] he was.

Khumalo-Gumede: After the call, Kelly informed Senzo to get off on the N3 and we'd get him at the Spruitview off-ramp

Khumalo-Gumede: When we took the off-ramp, we found him walking towards where we met him [Madlala]. We then took Tumelo and went home.

Khumalo-Gumede says they went to purchase drinks at a local tavern and then went to their mother's house. They arrived at the Khumalo household around half-past-four.

12:40 - Adv Baloyi asks Khumalo-Gumede to explain the sitting arrangements in her mother's Vosloorus home on October 26 2014 before Meyiwa was gunned down. - Jeanette Chabalala

Khumalo-Gumede: We had a meal. We had fun and we were laughing and I am the one who was taking drinks out of the fridge. - Jeanette Chabalala

Khumalo-Gumede: After some time, there was some form of communication between me and Longwe. She doesn't recall if they spoke over the phone or via SMS. She says she was dating Longwe Twala at the time. - Jeanette Chabalala

12:50 - Khumalo-Gumede says Longwe asked to come [to her mother's house] and she agreed and then asked her mother if there was enough food. - Jeanette Chabalala

She says Longwe texted her and told her he was outside. She went to the room and changed into something warm because it getting cold. 

Khumalo-Gumede tells the court that Senzo and Longwe "were very good friends" - Jeanette Chabalala

13:00 - Court adjourns for lunch.

14:00 - Court resumes

Khumalo-Gumede shares with the court that Meyiwa, Thwala and Madlala were about to leave her mothers house.

Khumalo-Gumede tells the court that two men entered the house and identifies one of the accused.

Khumalo-Gumede breaks down and addresses the accused directly, "Are you aware of what you did to our lives? Are you aware what you did to us as a family... the damaged you caused that day?"

Khumalo-Gumede tells the court that "The one with dreadlocks was carrying a firearm. The 2nd one was standing by the kitchen before the hallway"

"The one in front with the dreadlocks pointed a firearm at us and told us to take out our money and cellphones." Khumalo-Gumede explains that the suspect spoke to them in isiZulu.

14:30 - "I then heard a click of a firearm, and Longwe stood up at the same time and pushed the one carrying a firearm backwards. Then Longwe got a chance to escape through the kitchen door, then Kelly ran into the bedroom opposite the kitchen which is my bedroom at home"

Khumalo-Gumede tells the court that accused no2 then followed Kelly.

"Kelly closed the bedroom door and accused no2 tried to open it while Kelly pushed it closed."

Khumalo-Gumede tells the court that while that was happening, they all got up and pushed both intruders into the kitchen.  She can't recall the order in which they stood up.

"When we got to the kitchen we were trying to get them out of the house but our kitchen door opens to the inside."

Khumalo-Gumede: I remember that Senzo was standing in front of the one with the dreadlocks who was carrying a firearm.

14:40 - She then saw Madlala's crutches in the corridor and reached for them. "I tried to assault accused no2 but couldn't reach. The person next to me was Tumelo and my mother was in front. Tumelo took the crutch from me and used it to assaulted accused no2 with it."

Khumalo-Gumede says while all of this was happening Meyiwa and the dreadlocked intruder were wrestling for the firearm...close to the sink.

"When we were still fighting, I heard the firearm going off and the bullet hit the ground and the spark hit me on my right leg."

Khumalo-Gumede explains to the court that she was in the middle of the passage and Madlala was on her right close to the stove when this occurred.

12:50 - Khumalo-Gumede states that she doesn't know where the bullet hit, she just knows it hit the ground. She adds that she is not aware why the firearm went off except that Meyiwa and the dreadlocked intruder were wrestling for it.

Khumalo-Gumede explains that her sister Kelly joined the Meyiwa to fight the intruder prior to the firearm going off. She explains that her mother was opposite the sink attacking accused no 2 with her hands. 

"When I heard the firearm go off, I ran into the bathroom and Madlala ran into one of the bedrooms."

"When I got into the bathroom, I looked out the window." Khumalo-Gumede tells the court that when she looked out the "blurry" window she realised that the intruders could shoot her from outside. "I then squatted in the bathroom...I then heard the firearm go off again."

Adv Baloyi asks Khumalo-Gumede where the firearm went off and she explains that it was in the kitchen. "The firearm went off again, for the 3rd time...when it went off for the last time, it was not the same sound I heard from the other shots."

Khumalo-Gumede: After the shot, there was a bit of silence. I reached for the door handle to peep around the corner still in a squatting position." 

15:05 - Judge Maumela postponed proceedings. The trial will resume tomorrow [Friday].