Before a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) reservist Lwanda Zungu allegedly sprayed his wife Tania Zungu in a hail of bullets, he told their youngest son: “Be free my son”.
This was heard by the Pinetown Regional Court on Wednesday morning during the cross-examination of Tania’s mother.
Zungu allegedly shot Tania on January 3, 2024, in their Pinetown home.
Their minor sons, aged 11 and 15 and his mother-in-law Patience Gwen Msane were present at the time of the incident, Msane has told the court.
During the cross-examination of Msane, advocate Muzi Mzelemu, counsel for Zungu put it to her that both her grandsons do not mention that she was in the couple's bedroom when the gunshots were fired.
Msane said both her grandkids could speak for themselves but she was there. Msane had testified that when her daughter screamed for her and said Zungu was assaulting her, they quickly jumped together with her eldest grandson to the couple's bedroom.
She said the 11-year-old grandson had been in the lounge watching Television, and when they heard screams, he was the first one on the couple's bedroom door, she was second, and the eldest 15-year-old son was behind her.
Mzelemu asked Msane if she heard any words being uttered by Zungu at that moment and Msane said no.
Mzelemu read the statement of the youngest son where he said; “I saw my father standing on top of the bed. I looked at him and he said "Be free my son” and he heard gunshots.”
“I did not hear that,” Msane replied.
Mzelemu also put Msane in a corner aking her about the versions she had put before the court on the day of the incident.
Msane had told the court that she witnessed Zungu shooting her daughter. She said she saw her daughter lying on the bed and managed to run outside the house.
During her initial testimony she said that she had heard the first gunshot while she was in the passage toward tghe room where the sound was coming from which led her to run outside, leaving her grandchildren.
However in another version she said that she heard the first gunshot and went into the bedroom but did not see Zungu shooting and she ran away. She said he had a gun in his hand.
Mzelemu put it to her that she was not being truthful to the court and asked her which version should the court take.
“You are not telling the truth every time you realise you are being caught you change your version. Your evidence is tailored,” Mzelemu said.
Msane cried and said the incident was not easy on her.
While Magistrate Muntukayise Khumalo sympathised with her, he urged her to answer the question.
“I saw him shooting my daughter and I ran away,” she said.
Mzelemu told Msane that he sympathises with her that she lost her daughter but the truth must be told.
Msane insisted that she was telling the truth although the defence was twisting it.
The trial continues next week.