Zandile Mafe allegedly provided reasons for torching Parliament, court hears
Mafe, who is facing terrorism and arson charges, is applying for bail in the Cape Town Regional Court on Saturday.
CAPE TOWN - The State claims that alleged Parliament arsonist, Zandile Mafe, has provided reasons why he set the National Assembly Chamber alight.
Mafe, who is facing terrorism and arson charges, is applying for bail in the Cape Town Regional Court on Saturday.
He’s been in custody since the blaze broke out on 2 January.
State prosecutor, Advocate Mervyn Menigo, read out an affidavit from investigating officer, Colonel Christiaan Theron, who interviewed Mafe at the Cape Town Police Station shortly after his arrest.
Mafe, during questioning, allegedly admitted to having set Parliament alight.
According to Theron’s statement, the 49-year-old arson-accused allegedly also provided reasons why he started the fire.
#ParliamentFire Defence Advocate Dali Mpofu says she information has not been authenticated - he says the State simply wants to create sensation. KB
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 29, 2022
#ParliamentFire 3. Mafe also demanded a R1500 unemployment grant be paid to the unemployed.
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) January 29, 2022
4. That no State of the Nation Address be held this yearMafe referred to SONA during questioning as State of the Nonsense Address. KB
Mafe apparently demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa resign on 8 January and that convicted murderer Janusz Waluś be released from prison on the same day that late former President Nelson Mandela was freed from incarceration from Robben Island.
He also wants a R1,500 social grant for all the unemployed to be rolled out and demanded that the State of the Nation Address (Sona) not be held this year, referring it as the State of the Nonsense Address.
Defence lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu, said that the information had not been authenticated and that the State was simply trying to create sensation.
