Singer Zandie Khumalo lost her cool while being cross examined during the #SenzoMeyiwaTrial as she told Adv. Nxumalo to watch his tone.Tensions were high between State witness Zandie Khumalo and defence lawyer Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo – representing accused number four – when the singer lost her her cool and told the counsel to watch his tone when speaking to her.

 

The Ikhwela singer – who is being cross examined at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria – was among the people who were in the Vosloorus house in Gauteng when the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was killed in 2014 in what is believed to be a botched robbery.

During the cross examination, when Zandie was questioned about her statements, Adv Nxumalo pointed out that she did not mention attempting to dial 10111 – which she told the court in her testimony that she tried dialling but the number had escaped her memory.

“I do remember that I said it, I did not say it for the first time in court. I have no control over what a police officer writes or considers important,” Zandie responded.

The defence lawyer also probed Zandie about her statement which does not correlate with her then-boyfriend Longwe Twala’, where he reportedly said in an SMS sent to “Twala 2” that Meyiwa was shot infront of them.

“He is suggesting he was there. But you said Longwe ran out,” Nxumalo tells Zandie.

In response she said: “He will come here to tell the court. I can’t speak on his behalf. Call Longwe. I am here for myself, not Longwe.”When Nxumalo asked Zandie to keep her answers short, she replied: “Please watch your tone when you speak to me. I am not your wife. I am someone else’s wife.”

Nxumalo did not take kindly to the singer’s words, telling the court to intervene because he feels intimidated.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng interjected and asked both parties to respect the decorum of the court.Nxumalo and Zandie had another stand-off when he put it to her that the deceased was killed by someone in the house. This was after he had referred to an affidavit by the man initially arrested for Meyiwa’s murder, Zamokuhle Mbatha. Mbatha was identified by Zandie and Kelly’s mother, Ntombi Khumalo, but was later found not guilty.

“You and the other witnesses; that is your mother and Mthokozisi Twala; have a tendency of pointing out innocent people willy-nilly to avoid avoid the suggestion that the deceased was killed by one of the people inside the house. There was no robbery there,” Nxumalo told Zandie.

“You can put it to me 50 times until you foam at the mouth if that helps you sleep at night, what I am saying is that there were intruders,” Zandie replied.

Nxumalo again did not take exception to her response, however, Zandie said she takes her leads on how to respond from him