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Nehawu and Parliament agree to end public spat over cause of fire

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Parliament and the workers union Nehawu have agreed to end their public spat regarding the causes of the fire at the precinct.

The two parties met on Tuesday and agreed to engage on all issues of concern.

Parliament Fire | Presiding officers and Nehawu agree on communication going forward:

Since Sunday, the union has insisted that Parliament’s decision to reduce security at the precinct at weekends was the reason the fire was not detected soon enough and why a person managed to enter the premises.

Nehawu was adamant that the incompetence of Parliament’s management was to blame for the fire.

They insisted that they had written to the Acting Secretary to Parliament, raising their concerns about security. Parliament condemned the statements as being irresponsible at this time when all stakeholders should be working together.

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula led Parliament’s delegation while the Nehawu delegation was led by its President Mike Shingange.

In a joint statement following the meeting, Parliament committed to ensure that no stone is left unturned in both external and internal investigations on the circumstances pertaining to the fire outbreak.

The parties committed to work together to try to resolve areas of disagreement and address the issues of concern raised by the union leadership.

Accused says he is innocent

The lawyer of the man accused of causing the devastating fire at Parliament, says his client plans on pleading not guilty.

Mafe’s lawyer on his client’s innocence:

Forty-nine-year-old Zandile Christmas Mafe appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s court this morning after he was arrested shortly after the fire broke out on Sunday morning.

The blaze that gutted the old and new National Assembly buildings, flared up again on Monday causing more damage.

Visuals of the fire flaring up again on Monday afternoon captured by Mercedes Besent:

Mafe is facing charges of destruction of essential infrastructure, the possession of an explosive device, arson, theft and housebreaking.

Mafe’s bail application has been postponed to Tuesday next week for the court to verify his information.

His lawyer, Luvuyo Godla, spoke to the media outside the court.

“He was arrested by members of SAPS and one will assume maybe he must have been arrested within a certain proximity of the incident which in this case, it could even be Khayelitsha, where all of us, reside because it’s 20 minutes to Khayelitsha. So all those issues will be issues that will be ventilated. He denies vehemently those charges, he rejects those charges.”

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