Zandile Mafe appears before the Western Cape High Court to appeal against the rejection of her bail application.
PHOTO: Brenton Geach, Gallo Images
- Parliament’s preliminary hearing on arson charge Zandile Mafe has resumed at the Western Cape High Court in Cape Town.
- Mafe failed to show up for three of his previously scheduled hearings, delaying proceedings.
- He was arrested after being accused of starting a fire. which destroyed the National Assembly chamber of Parliament in January last year.
At last there is agreement to refer accused arsonist Zandile Mafe to Parliament for another mental evaluation.
Mafe, however, says it can be done anywhere but Valkenberg Hospital in Cape Town.
He was referred there shortly after the January 2022 fire, but the assessment was canceled under review due to procedural issues.
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Her lawyer, Dali Mpofu, SC, said Mafe refused to go back there.
After almost an hour of deliberation on Friday, Judge Nathan Erasmus adjourned the matter to February 24, to decide on the hospital and an independent psychiatrist.
When the matter was closing, Mafe took off his jacket and said that he would not go to Valkenberg.
READ | A year later, the National Assembly building is still in ruins after the terrible fire.
He was dragged down the stairs.
Mpofu said that although she accepted another referral, Mafe believes there is nothing wrong with her.
The court heard that if Mafe is referred to Valkenberg, he will be number 112 on the list.
With the 30-day referrals being made 10 at a time, this means your evaluation could take at least a year, with your trial only starting around 2025.
The judge said there was a chance that Mafe could be prioritized, but this would cause someone else to come back in line.
