In the ongoing Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, a crucial witness, Khaya Ngcatshe, who lived near the Khumalo family home, took the stand on Tuesday to testify.
Ngcatshe vividly relived the fateful night when Meyiwa was gunned down in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg on October 26 2014.
He testified that he and his brother, Bulelani, had attended a concert in Katlehong earlier in the day and only returned home late at night.
He said he was preparing for work when he heard unusual noises, prompting him to investigate.
From his bedroom window, he said, he saw a person wearing a white T-shirt standing at the Khumalo kitchen window, which is diagonally opposite his room.
Ngcatshe went outside and came across his father. As they exited their home through the front gate, they noticed a man jumping over the fence into the Khumalo’s yard, he said.
He said he could not ascertain if the person he saw earlier was the same individual jumping over the fence.
“When we got out of the house through our kitchen door, there was a young man who was jumping [over] the fence,” he said.
Ngcatshe said when confronted, the man claimed not to be responsible for the commotion happening at the Khumalo household, and indicated that there was a problem.
“I cannot be sure, it must have been after 7pm. I was in possession of a steel rod. When I saw him, we confronted him and I lifted the rod with both hands.
“When I did that, he cautioned us and indicated he is not the one that should be accused.
“We asked him what he meant. He indicated that there was a problem that transpired next door. We then left him alone because we were confused as to what happened.
“He then jumped back into the Khumalo yard.” Ngcatshe testified.
“I also decided to jump [over the fence] but my father stopped me. My father said he heard what sounded like a gun. I no longer went to the Khumalo’s but instead went to my brother room.”
Shortly after, Ngcatshe told the court, they rushed to the park after being told that there were people who ran out of the Khumalo household heading in the direction of the park.
He said, however, that they did not find anyone there. They later rushed back to the Khumalo home, where they found Meyiwa laying in the passage, wearing a white T-shirt.
Ngcatshe and other neighbours assisted in carrying him to a vehicle which was driven by Kelly Khumalo to the hospital, where Meyiwa was later certified dead.
During the court proceedings, Ngcatshe admitted to having consumed alcohol at the concert earlier that day, but asserted that he was not heavily intoxicated.
He also stated that he made two statements to the police, one on the night of the shooting or the next morning, and another later.
The defence’s cross-examination of Ngcatshe, led by Sipho Ramosepele, is scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
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