The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial continues today, 28 October 2025, in the High Court in Pretoria, with accused number one, Muzi Sibiya, still on the stand. Sibiya faces cross-examination as he maintains his innocence in the killing of the late Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, who was shot dead in October 2014 at the home of his girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus.
Since taking the stand, Sibiya claims police assaulted him until he signed a confession in 2020, which he says does not reflect his true version of events.
He told the court that he was “brutalised” into signing the statement and that he never voluntarily admitted to involvement in the murder.
Despite acknowledging that his signature appears on the confession, Sibiya insists that its contents were fabricated by police investigators.
It is understood that the disputed confession implicates Khumalo, who was present at the time of Meyiwa’s death along with several other witnesses.
Defence lawyers argue that the confession was obtained under duress and should not be used as evidence against Sibiya or the co-accused.
During Monday’s proceedings, state prosecutor Advocate George Baloyi questioned Sibiya about claims that he received R30,000 as payment for the killing and later visited a traditional healer, or sangoma, for a cleansing ritual.
Baloyi referred to earlier testimony by Mkhulu Lionel Zwane, a traditional healer who told the court in 2023 that Sibiya sought inhlanhla emhlophe — a ritual for good fortune — and later returned saying “the job had been done.”
Sibiya denied these claims, saying he had never met Zwane before seeing him in court.
“There’s nothing that I have received for killing someone, that includes money, and I have never gone to a sangoma asking for cleansing because I had killed someone,” Sibiya told the court.
His lawyer, Advocate Charles Mnisi, objected to the state’s questioning, accusing the prosecution of misrepresenting Zwane’s testimony. Mnisi argued that the sangoma had not explicitly identified Sibiya as the person who consulted him before the murder.
Advocate Sipho Ramosepele, representing one of the co-accused, supported Mnisi’s objection, stating that “Zwane did not say it was the accused before court.”
The defence maintains that the state’s witnesses have presented inconsistent statements and that the alleged confession was unlawfully obtained.
Sibiya also reiterated that he had never written or dictated any confession.
“That is not my statement,” he said.
“I have been saying before this court that I did not write any statement, but I was asked to sign. If you have anything to ask about any statement, ask Brigadier Bongani Gininda and Colonel Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho.”
The cross-examination is expected to continue throughout the week as the court seeks to clarify discrepancies surrounding the 2020 confession and the alleged involvement of Khumalo.
The trial, now entering its final stages, has drawn national attention as one of South Africa’s most closely watched criminal cases.
Proceedings are being broadcast live from the High Court in Pretoria, and you can tune in below:
