Brigadier Bongani Gininda, a veteran investigator with over 30 years in the South African Police Service (SAPS), has told the Pretoria High Court that evidence suggests Kelly Khumalo played a central role in the murder of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa.
Gininda made this claim during cross-examination by advocate Zandile Mshololo, who is representing Fisokuhle Ntuli, the fifth accused in the trial.
Mshololo challenged the state’s version, denying her client’s involvement in any alleged planning or execution of the crime at Basotho hostel on October 26, 2014. However, Gininda countered, citing evidence from exhibits HH and JJ, which detail alleged meetings among the accused on the day of Meyiwa’s murder.
“The evidence revealed that the trigger point of this whole thing is Miss Kelly Khumalo,” Gininda stated. He also referenced cellphone records that reportedly linked Khumalo and Ntuli through communication on the day of the murder.
Disputed Getaway Car Details
Mshololo also questioned the description of the alleged getaway vehicle, a grey VW Polo said to have been driven by Ntuli. Gininda admitted there were no specific registration details in the docket but maintained that the vehicle was described as a grey VW Polo used by the suspects.
Further investigations revealed Ntuli had rented cars from Bonokama Shuttle Services, though records from 2014 could not be retrieved due to the company’s liquidation. Mshololo, however, argued that her client had never driven such a vehicle.
High-Profile Trial Continues
Meyiwa, the former Bafana Bafana captain, was killed at Kelly Khumalo’s Vosloorus home in 2014. The trial of the five accused—Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, and Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi—has drawn significant public attention.
Gininda, who currently heads the SAPS Cold Case Unit, has been pivotal in presenting the state’s case. He has extensive experience investigating high-profile cases, including incidents of taxi violence and unresolved crimes.
As the trial unfolds, conflicting testimonies and evidence continue to shape the narrative, with the court yet to determine the truth behind one of South Africa’s most infamous cases.