After almost four days of the court listening to her request not to have her testimony broadcast live in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, state witness Zandile Lorraine Khumalo finally took the stand on Thursday afternoon. 

Shortly before she testified in the Pretoria High Court, state prosecutor Adv George Baloyi asked Khumalo if she was aware of the court’s ruling that dismissed her application not to have her testimony broadcast live. 

“All my rights were explained to me and I have decided to proceed [and testify]. Appealing [the ruling] was one of the options but I decided to continue. I want the matter to proceed and I do not want to waste time. I want Senzo to get justice,” said Khumalo. 

Delivering his ruling earlier on Khumalo’s application, judge Tshifhiwa Maumela said the broadcasting of images of Khumalo while testifying was prohibited. 

Maumela said members of the electronic media were permitted to broadcast the testimony of Khumalo by means of audio and visual.

“The prohibition of the images shall remain in place until the finalisation of this case,” said Maumela.

On Monday, Khumalo requested that proceedings should not be broadcast live and pictures of her should not be taken while she is on the stand. However, she is not opposed to journalists sitting in court and reporting on her testimony, and taking pictures of her in the corridors of the courthouse and outside the court building. 

After taking the stand, Khumalo began her testimony by describing what happened on the fateful day Meyiwa was killed. 

Khumalo said on the morning of the incident she, her sister Kelly, Meyiwa and his close friend Mthokozisi Twala went to Soweto for a musical performance that she and Kelly had. 

She said after their performance, they went to pick up Meyiwa’s close friend Tumelo Madlala and drove to their home in Spruitview, Vosloorus, for Sunday lunch. On their way home they stopped at a tavern to buy booze. 

The court then took a one-hour lunch adjournment. 

Soccer star Meyiwa was shot and killed at the house of the mother of his then girlfriend singer Kelly in Vosloorus, on the East Rand, on October 26 2014. 

The people who were present in the house during the murder were Zandile, Kelly, their mother Gladness, Meyiwa, Zandile’s boyfriend at the time Longwe Twala, and Meyiwa’s close friends Madlala and Mthokozisi Twala. 

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.

They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

kokam@sowetan.co.za