The family of the man gunned down by Trompies member and EFF member of parliament Eugene Mthethwa has written to Parliament to force the red beret disciple to account for his alleged caper.
Dumisani Kweyama, the uncle of Thulani Stanley Kweyama, who was shot dead by Mthethwa about 28 years ago, penned the letter to Joseph M Gluwa, the chairperson of the sports, arts and culture portfolio committee, requesting him to help them get justice and
closure.
The letter was authored a month after the family wrote to the station commander of the Orlando West Police Station demanding the reopening of the case.
Instead of assisting, the police chief kicked the can down the road.
This left the family with no choice but to escalate the matter to Mthethwa’s principal in Parliament for intervention.
In the letter that we have seen, the family expressed frustration with the police’s decision to turn a blind eye to their complaint.
“We are an ordinary, law-abiding South African family, without political influence or wealth to amplify our voice.
“We appeal to you and the honourable members of your committee to help ensure that our cry for justice is finally heard, 28 years after Thulani’s innocent life was taken.
“Our son Thulani was only 29 years old when he was killed on the 13th of December 1997 outside Club 707 (now the home affairs building) in Orlando West, Soweto.
“He was fatally shot by Mr Eugene Mthethwa, who is now a member of your honourable committee and a sitting member of Parliament,” reads the letter.
The family asked how Mthethwa was sworn in as a lawmaker despite the cloud still hanging over his head.
“As the family, we wonder how Mr Eugene Mthethwa was sworn in to work in the RSA Parliament after he, by his admission in the press, killed somebody.
“We have written to the Orlando Police Station on the 2nd of May 2025, where it is said the murder was reported, to reopen the case or perhaps inform us as to what happened.
“Up to this day, no correspondence to acknowledge receipt of the letter from the SAPS Orlando Police Station has been received,” reads the letter.
The family pleaded with the committee to ask Mthethwa to come clean about what happened to the deceased on that fateful day.
“Which court did Mr Eugene Mthethwa appear in? On what grounds was he acquitted, if a trial took place at all?
“If no legal process ever occurred, we respectfully request your assistance in ensuring that Mr Mthethwa is held accountable.”
The family reiterated the initial call for the reopening of the case. Afterwards, they said, the case should be allocated to a new and independent team of detectives for investigation.
“Justice for Thulani is not just a family matter – it is a matter of ethical governance, public accountability and human dignity.
“We hope Parliament, under your leadership, will stand on the side of truth and justice,” he stated.
Mthethwa shot Kweyama dead outside Club 707 in Soweto in 1997.
The Kweyamas complained to Orlando West Police Station commander that his police had not kept them posted about developments in the case.
As a result, 28 years later, they were still unable to find closure.
They said a case was opened at the time, but police have not kept them in the loop about what happened.
The family said the decision to pursue Mthethwa was precipitated by the contradictory statements the musician made recently.
The contradicting statements, they said, which are in the public domain, will be submitted to the new investigation team upon request.
In his interview with Drum magazine recently, Mthethwa reportedly said that in 2002, while he was studying law, he killed Kweyama, without naming him, in self-defence at Club 707, known as Kwa-Panyaza.
“This person came there to watch us perform; he didn’t live far from my hood in Meadowlands.
“So, when I came out, he was trying to open my car using a screwdriver, and when I asked him what he was doing, he turned around.
“I thought he was going to notice me; he would apologise. Instead, he jumped on me with the screwdriver. He was drunk. So, I pushed him away.
“Again, I thought he would recognise me, but he got up and scratched my car from top to bottom, so it was evident that he wanted to attack me; therefore, I pulled out my gun.”
He said Kweyama grabbed his gun, but he shot him once in the stomach.
“I took him to hospital, but they took a drunk guy who was bleeding to the theatre, and they got the blood for him hours later.
“The guy passed away; I went to his family to tell the family what happened, and the family attended my father’s church; his mother was an elder,” he reportedly said.
