Matiwane’s lieutenant takes the stand

Prosecutor tears into Mkoko’s version during cross-examination

Tension mounted on Tuesday in the high court sitting in East London when defence advocate Ncumisa Dyantyi cross-examined Ntombikho Mkoko, a state witness in the trial of 16 Reeston residents accused of setting Buffalo City Metro ward 13 councillor Nokulunga Matiwane’s home alight in August 2017.

Dyantyi tore into Mkoko’s testimony and sworn affidavit, arguing that she had implicated one of the accused, Siziwe Nomveliso Daniso, because Daniso had contested against Matiwane in the 2016 local government elections.

Dyantyi said Mkoko had gained a reputation as Matiwane’s close supporter and campaign leader.

“Am I correct when I say when the councillors were being elected, you were one of the party leaders working with Matiwane,” Dyantyi asked. Mkoko agreed. Mkoko said: “There was hostility in Thembalethu [in Reeston] after Matiwane was appointed as councillor. Accused one [Daniso] would corner us and tell us she would not be led by Matiwane.”

Dyantyi also tore into Mkoko’s version of events around the torching of the house.

Asked if she knew what had led to the arson, Mkoko said she’d heard from an unnamed source that the house was burnt down because Matiwane was allegedly implicated in the deaths of two locals, Bulelwa Mpitimpiti and Nomboniso Twana.

She said on the day she had “rushed to Matiwane’s home to get more information”.

Dyantyi said: “You are doubtful in answering and the court wants to understand what happened. According to your understanding, are the allegations against Matiwane what led to the community attacking her house?”

Mkoko replied: “I think so.” On Monday Mkoko told the court she had been trapped inside the house with Matiwane’s daughter Nonkululeko, who died in the blaze.

Mkoko said after failing to find a way to escape the blaze, she sought cover in the passage of the house because the house was full of smoke.

She said that from where she sat, she was able to see the faces and identify some of the voices of the accused.

Images submitted to court were critically analysed during the cross-examination to identify Mkoko’s location inside the house.

Judge Thembekile Malusi said: “I can sense that this is going to be critical later in this case,” referring to Mkoko’s hiding spot inside the house as the fire ravaged the structure.

Dyantyi said it was impossible for Mkoko to have seen what she claimed to have witnessed while sitting in the passage.

The packed court gallery also heard that Mkoko’s sworn affidavit after the arson attack was “factually incorrect and incoherent”.

Dyantyi further questioned Mkoko about the names of the accused which were missing from her affidavit, but had been mentioned by her in court on Monday.

An agitated Mkoko blamed the police officer who took down her affidavit, claiming that she “did not notice” the missing names.

“There is a lot written in that statement, so I did not pay attention,” she said.

The trial is set to resume on Wednesday.