Pretoria – Senzo Meyiwa’s “best friend” Tumelo Madlala was questioned about the money he received from Netflix for exclusive content he gave to the production company.
Madlala was cross-examined by advocate Zandile Mshololo, who represents one of the five men accused of killing the Bafana Bafana goalkeeper.
Mshololo submitted: “Did you inform Mandisa (Meyiwa’s wife) after sharing the pictures you had of the deceased with Netflix? Did you give Mandisa anything, just to look after, just for the sake of the child that belonged to the deceased?”
Madlala responded: “No. She is taking care of her child.”
Mshololo asked again: “But you, after benefiting from the father of the child … did you give any portion to that child of the deceased who was your best friend?”
Madlala said Meyiwa’s family should probably have contributed something towards the child.
“I do not think that I was supposed to do that. I think that is for Senzo’s family, not myself,” he said.
“I did not share the money with anyone. It was my money.”
Mshololo submitted that Madlala was Meyiwa’s best friend, until the time the soccer start was fatally shot.
Madlala disagreed.
Mshololo also asked Madlala if he had given a portion of the money to Senzo’s mother.
Madlala said he did not, and could not have given anything to someone who did not talk to him.
Five men, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifokuhle Ntuli, are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as possession of ammunition.
All of the five accused have pleaded not guilty.
Meyiwa was killed on October 26, 2014, while in the company of his girlfriend and the mother of his child, Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus.
In the house that day were Meyiwa, his musician girlfriend Kelly Khumalo and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Madlala, Kelly’s then 4-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
IOL