Senzo Meyiwa family vow to block new documentary
A LEGAL showdown is looming between the producers of a second documentary on Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa’s mysterious death and family which the family said they knew nothing about.
The documentary, according to the producers, was to reveal the discussion between Senzo’s mother and Chicco Thwala.
The Thwala and Meyiwa families left South Africans guessing last week when the media reported that Thwala had surprisingly shown up in umlazi to see the Meyiwas, but to date both Meyiwas and Thwalas have not revealed the purpose of the visit and the discussion between them.
Senzo’s brother, Sifiso Meyiwa, has vowed to block the release of the documentary, arguing that the family was not informed of it. He said although Thwala visited his family last week, the family knew nothing about the documentary and learnt of it on social media.
Meyiwa said the family was shocked and angered by one of the producers Zakhele Shiba for producing such work without the family’s knowledge and approval.
“I came to know about this when someone sent me the poster talking about the documentary and soon got a call from Shiba. When I asked him, he said he had told me about it and I told him that at no stage had we discussed the documentary with him.
“So we are not going to allow any documentary on Senzo without our approval. People have seen an opportunity to make money out of my brother’s death. Shiba must come here and ask for permission then tell us how much the family would get out of that documentary,” said Meyiwa.
He said they still had issues with the money his mother received from Netflix and would not allow another documentary without a proper explanation of how the family would benefit from it. Meyiwa refused to give details of his mother’s discussion with Thwala, but it is believed it was around Thwala’s son Longwe, who was also in the house when Senzo was killed.
Shiba said the documentary work had been completed and would be released to the public soon. He said he was not bothered by what the Meyiwa family was saying and said the documentary would be released whether the Meyiwas want it or not.
He said the work would be released online. Shiba added that people who were eager to know why Thwala visited the Meyiwas would know in a few days.
He said the documentary, Senzo: The Second Docket, will reveal the content of Thwala’s discussion with Senzo’s mother as well as comments from the people who were in the house in Vosloorus on the fateful night in 2014 when Meyiwa was killed.
Shiba, a former journalist, said he organised a meeting between Senzo’s mother and Thwala because he wanted to do a documentary, adding that it was the reason both parties refused to reveal what was discussed because it would be in a documentary.
He said some of the people who were in the house when Senzo was shot had agreed to speak about what happened, but some were reluctant, arguing that the matter was in court.
“I organised the meeting and I took Thwala to the Meyiwas to meet Senzo’s mother as part of documentary production. All I can say is that Mzansi will know everything very soon,” said Shiba.
The second docket issue is still the bone of contention in the Pretoria High Court between the State and defence where the trial for the five men accused of killing Meyiwa continues.
The docket which the court had not accepted into records recommended the charging of all people who were in the house where Senzo was killed.
The house belonged to the family of the then Senzo’s girlfriend the singer, Kelly Khumalo. Among the people who were in the house were Senzo’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala who finished his testimony last week.
Others were Longwe, Kelly and her sister Zandi Khumalo and their mother.