Daily Sun (October 28 2014) - SENZO had sent for Tumelo, his childhood friend, to come and visit him.
It was a warm reunion when Senzo and Kelly picked him up at the taxi rank.
"I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS COMING TO SAY MY LAST GOODBYE TO MY FRIEND," TUMELO TOLDDAILY SUN.
Tumelo Madlala and Senzo Meyiwa, the Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain, grew up together in Umlazi, KZN and Tumelo often visited him, but this time it was different.
Tumelo was at Kelly Khumalo's house in Spruitview, Ekurhuleni when Senzo was murdered.
"He sent me money and invited me to visit," said an emotional Tumelo.
"I took a taxi from Durban and we were talking on the phone all the time."
He said Senzo told him he shouldn't go to Joburg station but should get out of the taxi near Leondale Road on the N3. That's where Senzo and his girlfriend Kelly came to pick him up.
"We went to Kelly's home in Spruitview and we had Sunday lunch," he said.
He said there were nine people in the house, including Kelly's two kids, her sister Zandi and Zandi's boyfriend.
But the friendly gathering turned ugly at about 8pm.
"Three men came into the house. They wanted Kelly's phone and she refused to give it to them. There was scuffle between Kelly and one of the men. Senzo stood up and tried to intervene," he said.
"That was when the man pulled out a gun and shot Senzo," said Tumelo.
"I was shocked. All I saw was that my friend was bleeding."
Tumelo said he is heartbroken. "My childhood friend is gone," he said.
"I'm still in shock. I can't believe he is gone."
Daily Sun understands Senzo was about to leave the house to go to Sunninghill, in the north of Joburg, to Rooi Mahamutsa's birthday party when he was shot.
A soccer star and close friend of Senzo's, who was at the party but who did not want to be named, toldDaily Sun they were waiting for him to arrive.
"He called a few times to assure us he was coming," said the friend.
He said Senzo's wife, Mandisa Meyiwa, was already at the party.
"Senzo was in contact with her. She told us he was on his way and we expected him, but then we heard Senzo wasn't coming any more because he had been shot," said the friend.
"Mandisa is not coping at all. She is devastated."
Yesterday Kelly left her home after it had been cordoned off by cops.
Neighbours and friends said they were shocked to see the singer driving around in Senzo's BMW X6.
"This is unheard of. In our culture we don't drive around in a dead person's car before the burial and the cleansing," said a shocked resident.
Yesterday a close friend said Mandisa was too emotional to speak.
"She is devastated. She was waiting for her husband to arrive at the party. She never expected to get a call to say he had been killed," said the friend.
Daily Sun understands Sello Chicco Twala's son, Longwe Twala, was injured during the shooting and is still in hospital.
See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....
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