The bail application for the alleged Parliament arsonist, Zandile Mafe, has been postponed to next Saturday.

The High Court in Cape Town could not proceed with the hearing on Saturday, however, arguments will commence virtually on Tuesday.

Mafe faces five charges, including terrorism, in connection with the fire that gutted Parliament on January 2.

NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says, “The bail application will be dealt with next Saturday. Today, the application did not take place. We are coming back on Tuesday and it will be done hybrid because Advocate Dali Mpofu will not be here. This application needs two judges for it to be heard, especially the application on the order. But Judge President (John Hlophe) was the only judge on duty this weekend, all the other judges are on leave. So he said he manage to get a judge to sit with him on Tuesday.”

Zandile Mafe | Update on bail hearing

AZAPO members call for the immediate release of Mafe

Members of the Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO) who are demonstrating outside the High Court in Cape Town in support of Mafe have called for his immediate release.

Azapo spokesperson Gaontebale Nodoba addressed the media outside the court. He says Mafe is being used as a scapegoat to cover up the failings of government.

“You have seen citizens of South Africa, that they are clutching at straws. All of a sudden in a democratic South Africa the first person to be charged with terrorism-related acts is a black poor homeless person. What a shame to this so-called quasi democracy. How can it be that coming from Apartheid from 1994 we get into a so-called democracy and the first person to be charged with terrorism-related acts is a black poor person.”