- Longwe Twala was placed at the centre of the fight that broke out at the house in Vosloorus where Senzo Meyiwa was murdered.
- Defence lawyer TT Thobane argued in court no intruders entered the house.
- Thobane says Twala was unhappy Meyiwa had a relationship with his girlfriend and with her sister, Kelly Khumalo.
The lawyer representing four of the five people accused of Senzo Meyiwa's murder has put Longwe Twala at the centre of the fight that broke out at the Vosloorus house where the former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper was murdered.
During the cross-examination of Meyiwa's close friend, Tumelo Madlala, in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday, advocate TT Thobane questioned Madlala on what happened inside the house where Meyiwa was killed.
Madlala, a State witness, was also in the Vosloorus house when Meyiwa was shot dead on 26 October 2014.
Bongani Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Ncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Ntuli are on trial for Meyiwa's murder.
The first four accused are represented by Thobane, while advocate Zandile Mshololo represents Ntuli.
During testimony on Tuesday, Madlala told the court a fight broke out in the house between Meyiwa and an intruder.
He said Meyiwa pinned the intruder's hand against a wall.
According to Madlala's testimony, the second intruder, who was armed, was short in stature, had dreads, and was wearing a hat.
He said visibility in the house was good, and the television was also on.
However, Thobane disagreed with Madlala's testimony.
He said:
"He [Twala] was not happy that the deceased [Meyiwa] had a relationship with his girlfriend and also with her sister, Kelly Khumalo," Thobane told Madlala.
Madlala disagreed and said, "the fact there were no intruders who entered the house is a lie".
He was adamant Ntanzi was one of the intruders who entered the house.
Madlala said he fled to a room and later heard a gunshot go off.
"I heard people crying inside the house, and I could not open the door. The door was opened by Mthokozisi [Twala] with a spoon," he told the court.
Thobane also questioned Madlala's testimony that he assisted in dragging Meyiwa to a car after he was shot.
According to Madlala's earlier statements, he was injured and walking with crutches before the incident.
"How could it be possible for you to carry Senzo when you were on crutches and limping?" Thobane asked.
Madlala said he had already explained that only his left two toes were injured, not his entire foot.
"I don't stand balancing on my toes."
Thobane told the court his clients were assaulted after they were arrested.
He said his client, Ntanzi, provided the police with bank statements to prove he was in KwaZulu-Natal when Meyiwa was killed.
Madlala, however, added Ntanzi was lying and should "bring the evidence".
Thobane said the other accused were arrested in prison.
Earlier on Tuesday, Thobane questioned Madlala on the whereabouts of Meyiwa's cellphone.
"I don't know where it is," he responded.
Thobane told Madlala the pictures he provided for the Netflix documentary were taken from Meyiwa's cellphone.
"It’s a lie. I deny that," he said.