Zandile Mafe to appear in Western Cape High Court

Alleged Parliament arsonist Zandile Mafe is expected to appear in the Western Cape High Court to appeal a lower court’s refusal to grant him bail.

Mafe was arrested in January on charges of starting the devastating fire that destroyed parts of the National Assembly in January.

The 49-year-old had earlier been denied bail with the court ruling that there were no compelling circumstances.

He is currently at Pollsmoor prison.

The state alleges that Mafe entered the Parliament precinct through a window and hours later set the building alight.

Mafe insists that he is being made a scapegoat and intends to sue the state.

Parliament Fire | Unpacking latest developments in Zandile Mafe case: Nthabiseng Dubazana

‘Scapegoat’

Earlier, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said negligence was the main cause of the recent fire that gutted the National Assembly buildings at Parliament.

He added that Mafe’s arrest is being used as a scapegoat to divert attention from government’s negligence.

“Do you think in your rightful mind, a person would burn Parliament and then goes and sleep next to where you have committed a crime… there’s no such thing. So I think more than anything guys, it is negligence.”

“They have not maintained Parliament, you may find out the rats have eaten the cables, that why it started burning from the roof and there was a spark and that spark caused the fire,” Malema explained.

Malema says negligence was the main cause of the fire: