Case against Parliament fire accused postponed to February

Zandile Mafe appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for a formal bail application.

The court ruled that he be sent for mental observation to establish his fitness to stand trial.

He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

He has been remanded to Valkenberg Hospital for 30 days of observation.

His legal representative, Advocate Dali Mpofu, said Mafe has gone on a hunger strike.

“One thing that he wants this court and everyone to know, he says that if his bail application doesn’t proceed and he is not released from custody, as from this moment he will embark on a hunger strike and he says that will be to whatever consequences.

“He says that he is not doing that to put any particular pressure on the state but his reason he says he doesn’t understand why the government which was not able to feed him when he was poor outside fending for himself now it is so committed to feeding him for a further period of time. He is not prepared to take any food offered by the government under such conditions.”

Mafe now faces five charges including arson, possession of an explosive device, housebreaking with the intent to steal.

A charge of terrorism has also been added by the state.

ALSO READ