Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial Stalled Again — Fresh Evidence Involving Kelly Khumalo’s Neighbour Causes Delay

Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial Postponed Again Over Evidence Linked to Kelly Khumalo’s Neighbour

The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has once again been pushed back, with proceedings now set to resume on Monday.

The delay comes after heated arguments in court over whether the state can rely on a statement allegedly made by Kelly Khumalo’s late neighbour, Thabang Makaleni.

Defence Challenges “New Evidence”

According to Sunday World, advocate Charles Mnisi and Sipho Ramosepele, representing some of the accused, argued that the state had already closed its case and could not now seek to rely on fresh evidence. They accused the prosecution of trying to “smuggle” the statement into proceedings.

“This evidence should have been introduced before the state closed its case,” they told the court.

Background on Makaleni’s Statement

State prosecutor George Baloyi said the oral statement was made by Makaleni to Warrant Officer Steenkamp on October 27, 2014. Although Steenkamp did not testify in court, Baloyi insisted that the statement had been handed in.

Makaleni, who reportedly lived near Khumalo’s Vosloorus home in 2014, died in 2019 from poisoning. He was said to have linked the five accused to the murder scene before his death.

Did Defence Already Raise It?

Baloyi further argued that Ramosepele himself had previously raised the statement—once during the cross-examination of Zandi Khumalo in July 2023 and again during the questioning of Brigadier Bongani Gininda in November 2024.

However, Ramosepele denied this, insisting that he only cross-examined Khumalo on descriptions of those inside the house and never touched on Makaleni’s evidence.

Defence Pushes Back Hard

Mnisi told the court that the matter was irrelevant at this stage of proceedings, stressing that if the state believed its case was incomplete, it had legal avenues to apply for reopening.

“What is the purpose of this sitting, my Lord? Is it to introduce new evidence or to make a determination on whether or not accused number 4 should be discharged under Section 174?” Mnisi asked.

Case Resumes Monday

With arguments still unsettled, the trial was adjourned until Monday, prolonging the marathon case that has gripped the nation since Meyiwa’s death in 2014.