Man accused of terrorism over fire at South African Parliament says he "burned it intentionally"
A man facing terrorism charges over a fire that badly damaged South Africa’s Parliament building last year said in a courtroom outburst that he “burned it intentionally.”
Man accused of terrorism over fire at South African Parliament says he "burned it intentionally"
Show all 3Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A man facing terrorism charges over a fire that badly damaged South Africa's Parliament building last year said in a courtroom outburst on Thursday that he “burned it intentionally.”
Shouting and pointing his finger, Zandile Mafe said he was going to “burn it more” if the Parliament was not moved from Cape Town to either the city of Bloemfontein or Pretoria.
The huge blaze badly damaged the historic Parliament complex in January last year as it ripped through various buildings, including the main chamber where lawmakers sit. It hasn't been fully repaired, with estimates saying it will cost around $120 million and take at least three years.
Mafe was arrested in the Parliament precinct soon after he started the fire started. He was charged with breaking and entering, arson and terrorism, but his case has been held up after a judge ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
The judge overseeing Thursday's court appearance allowed Mafe to finish his rant, saying he didn't want to “exacerbate” his “mental condition,” according to South African media reports.
Judge Nathan Erasmus then said an expert report indicated that Mafe was not able to understand the wrongfulness of the acts he is accused of, although a final decision on whether there will be a criminal trial was postponed until next month.
Mafe had also challenged the court to give him a sentence of 25 years to life, which is what he could face if his trial goes ahead.
“I’m not afraid of a life sentence,” he shouted.
The fire at the seat of South Africa's democracy raised criticism of the security procedures in place at the Parliament whose members were on a break and the buildings were largely empty. No one was hurt.
Mafe has said he is angry at various issues in South Africa. He has called the opposition political party that runs the Cape Town municipality racist against Black people and has also accused the government of failing to help the poor.
___
AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.