Defence seeks to examine Senzo Meyiwa’s location after the shooting and if he was still alive

On Wednesday, the defense in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case will focus on cross-examining the second state witness, with one of the grounds of contention expected to be probed being where exactly Meyiwa lay after the the shooting. Khaya Ngcatshe, a neighbour who heard a commotion from the Khumalo household before a shot went off, was called as the state’s witness on Tuesday.

He has told the court when he got into the Khumalo house, upon his return from the park where they searched in vain for what they believed were intruders on the run, he found Meyiwa lying in the kitchen towards the passage that leads to the sitting room. This contradicts the testimony of the state’s first witness, Zandile Khumalo, who claimed in court that after being shot in the kitchen, Meyiwa staggered towards the sitting room before collapsing between the TV stand and the couch.

“When we got into the house, we noticed the Senzo lying down, as you enter the house (through the kitchen) as if you are proceeding to the passage,” says Ngcatshe.

“The first thing I noticed was that white t-shirt. We then realized that this person lying down here was Senzo. He was lying down, facing up when we found him. We then tried to help him to sit up. Then it was said that he should be rushed to the hospital. I noticed that he had a wound on the chest.

Whether Meyiwa was dead or alive when he removed from the house and rushed to the hospital is also expected to be the focal point for the defense.Zandile previously told the court that Meyiwa was still alive when they loaded him into his BMW X6 and rushed to the hospital, but she noticed his body was getting cold as they approached the hospital and his eye remained wide open as she continuously touched his face, trying to assure him that they were getting nearer to the hospital. Meyiwa was declared dead on arrival. Ngcatshe on Tuesday told the court that together with some neighbours they ran to the park in search of the alleged intruders but they saw no one.