Parliament fire: Court to deliver judgment on Zandile Mafe’s bail

Zandile Christmas Mafe, the alleged Parliament arsonist, will know whether he will be released on bail or not with the Cape Town Regional Court set to deliver its judgement on Friday.

Mafe was remanded in custody after the magistrate postponed the bail application to Friday to prepare a judgment.

During court proceedings last Saturday, Mafe took to the stand, where he indicated that he would “stay at home and watch my DStv” if granted bail.

The 49-year-old also refuted claims that he is mentally ill and revealed that he intends to sue the state for the reputational damage caused to him.

State Prosecutor Mervyn Menigo argued that Mafe had admitted to setting Parliament alight.

Menigo said he did it because he wanted President Cyril Ramaphosa to resign and he also wanted Chris Hani’s killer Janusz Walus, to be released from prison.

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Mafe’s attorney, advocate Dali Mpofu, however, said that information had not been authenticated and accused the state of wanting to create sensation.

Meanwhile, Menigo further said that Mafe was a flight risk as well as being “a danger to society and himself”.

Mafe had earlier refuted that he was a flight risk.

The 49-year-old is facing six charges, including one count of terrorism.

He was arrested in connection with the Parliament fire on 2 January that destroyed the Old and the New Assembly buildings.

However, his legal team insist that Mafe is innocent, and that he is being used as a scapegoat.