Khaya Ngcatshe’s testimony in the Pretoria High Court on Wednesday contradicted Zandie Khumalo’s account of what transpired on the night Senzo Meyiwa was killed.
During cross-examination Ngcatshe, a neighbour of the Khumalos, presented significant details regarding his vantage point from the bedroom window.
He said he observed a person standing with their back against the window from his bedroom, which is about seven metres away from the Khumalo’s kitchen.
This information challenged Zandie’s previous testimony, when she said the view from the family’s kitchen window was obscured by a cupboard and a curtain, making it difficult to see what was happening inside the house.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo sought to challenge Ngcatshe’s ability to see through the Khumalo’s kitchen window, given the presence of curtains.
However, Ngcatshe maintained that he could still see through the curtains, as the kitchen was lit and the person’s reflection was visible.
“Zandie Khumalo said there was no way you could see because of the curtain,” Mshololo lamented.
Ngcatshe acknowledged the limitations to his view, however, he stated that he could still see through the window.
“There is a curtain, but I could still see through. It was late, but the light was on,” he said, highlighting that the kitchen’s illumination aided his visibility.
Asked about the medical attention provided to Meyiwa upon the neighbours’ arrival at the Khumalo’s home, Ngcatshe testified that the deceased had not received any medical assistance, and no ambulance had been called at that point.
The witness also clarified that he only saw Kelly Khumalo’s mother and could not recall seeing the other people in the house.
He said about 12 minutes had elapsed from the time he returned from the park to the moment he entered the Khumalo’s home, where Meyiwa was allegedly left unattended.
At that point, judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng interjected, pointing out that Zandie had testified that she ran out to seek medical and police assistance when the incident occurred.
This raised questions about whether Meyiwa was truly left unattended during that time.
As Ngcatshe’s testimony concluded, the court called Nthabiseng Mokete as the third witness.
Mokete is also a neighbou and her testimony is expected to shed further light on the tragic events surrounding Meyiwa’s death.
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