‘Longwe Didn’t Shoot Senzo Meyiwa, But He Should Rot in Jail’: Chicco Twala Breaks Silence
Legendary musician and producer Sello “Chicco” Twala has firmly denied that his son, Longwe, shot Senzo Meyiwa but expressed that he would be open to seeing him rot in jail for his other crimes.
Longwe Twala in Court for Theft
Twala made these remarks during a media briefing at the Randburg Magistrates Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday, September 4. He was there as his sons, Longwe and Sello, appeared on charges of theft and housebreaking. The brothers were arrested after allegedly breaking into their father’s studio and stealing equipment worth thousands of rands.
Speaking candidly, Chicco Twala emphasized the importance of holding Longwe accountable for his behaviour. He revealed that Longwe’s struggle with drug addiction began at the age of 17 and has been a driving force behind his current troubles.
“I’ve been taking him to rehab for many years. This is not good for him, and he must feel what I feel. He now teamed up with his little brother Sello to do housebreaking. This hurts me a lot and I don’t know what to do with him,” he said.
Also read: Defence Alleges That Longwe Twala Murdered Senzo Meyiwa
Longwe Struggles With Drug Abuse
Twala also shared that before leaving for the United States, he had a lengthy discussion with Longwe, who seemed to be on the right track after returning from rehab. Despite this, Longwe has been to rehab more than 30 times, and his father believes jail might be a better option for him than a life controlled by drugs.
“I’m grateful that he’s okay and he must just live his life in jail. My other son Sello is not into drugs and alcohol. I was just surprised by his actions,” he said.
Chicco Twala Denies Longwe Shot Senzo Meyiwa
The veteran musician also addressed the persistent rumours linking Longwe to the 2014 murder of Senzo Meyiwa. During a recent cross-examination in the Pretoria High Court, Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, representing one of the accused in the Meyiwa trial, suggested that Longwe shot Meyiwa with a revolver belonging to Chicco. Longwe was present at Kelly Khumalo’s home when Meyiwa was killed, leading to widespread speculation on social media.
Chicco Twala dismissed these accusations as baseless, attributing them to a popular Twitter account and the unfounded theories of certain legal professionals.
“Look I think the Senzo Meyiwa matter was started by a Twitter account named MansNotBarryRoux. I think the guy wanted to be relevant and get people to subscribe. It’s unfortunate that most South Africans, especially haters, bought into his nonsense. If there is one thing I can tell you, my son will never do that. He didn’t shoot Senzo Meyiwa. I’ve heard those two lawyers, Teffo and Mngomezulu making a lot of noise. I mean, they were not there. Who are they to actually say, ‘He shot Senzo. He shot himself’ and all that. They were not there. The people who were in the house, including my son, they know who shot Senzo,” Chicco Twala stated emphatically.