Case against woman accused of starting deadly CBD fire postponed
The case against the woman accused of starting the deadly fire in the Johannesburg CBD has been postponed to next week for further investigation.
Thirty-year-old Bonisiwe Gumede made her first appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
She faces two counts of murder and a charge of arson after she allegedly set one of the rooms alight following a domestic dispute on Sunday.
Two people were killed, four others were injured, and more than a hundred families were displaced.
"This matter is postponed for your address to be verified. You're back to court number 20, and you shall remain in custody until then,” Magistrate Nishani Beharie told the accused.
Gumede, who was dressed in yellow tracksuit pants and a beige jacket, stood with her hands folded in front of her and nodded as the magistrate addressed her through a Zulu translator.
She bit her lip nervously as the court explained that she could face life imprisonment if she is found guilty of the schedule six offences she’s charged with.
It's alleged the accused used paraffin to start the fire, which spread rapidly through the congested building.
Emergency personnel described scenes similar to the Usindiso Building, where more than 70 people were killed when a fire ripped through the hijacked apartment block in Marshalltown that had been partitioned into rooms using highly flammable material.
Meanwhile, watching from the gallery, Sizwe Cele’s sister Wenzi cried uncontrollably as her brother’s alleged killer stood shaking in the dock.
Cele’s uncle, Msongelo Mnisi, said they are battling to come to terms with the ordeal.
"It seems she doesn't have remorse for what she has done. It's very painful."
He reiterated the family's call for justice. However, he said he feared the system may let them down.
"Justice is not going to bring back the deceased, but in a case like this, justice must take its course. We are worried that sometimes our justice fails us [because] there are a lot of people who get away scot-free because of our justice system."
The state has said it will oppose bail should Gumede decide to apply.
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