REMEMBERING SENZO

THIS MONTH MARKS 10 YEARS SINCE ORLANDO PIRATES AND BAFANA BAFANA GOALKEEPER SENZO MEYIWA WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED

- Nick Said

October marks 10 years since the tragic murder of Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa, a stain on the history of our football and a heartbreaking moment, the scars of which are still felt today.

A decade on and there is an ongoing trial around the shooting of the popular national team captain, who was gunned down at the home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus on 26 October 2014.

It appeared to be a robbery gone wrong, with three suspects initially sought and Zamokuhle Mbatha arrested five days later, though he was freed weeks later due to a lack of evidence.

Meyiwa's friend Tumelo Waka Madlala, who was at the house, said the keeper was shot while trying to stop the intruders. "As they were running away, we tried to stop them and that is when they shot him at point blank range," Madlala told the Associated Press.

Fast forward 10 years and there are five men in the dock for his killing, though all deny their involvement. Four of the men are behind bars serving sentences for unrelated crimes, including attempted murder, murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya is serving a 12-year sentence for an unrelated attempted murder, and allegedly confided in his girlfriend and said he had been involved in the Meyiwa murder. He later shot her.

Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi is the second accused but the only one without any prior convictions.

He was working on the mines in the North West Province at the time of his arrest, and says he was in KwaZuluNatal when Meyiwa was killed.

He is alleged to have confessed to police over the murder, but later said this had been done under duress and while he was being tortured.