Alleged Parliament arsonist Zandile Mafe gestures during an inquiry into his fitness to stand trial in the Western Cape Town High Court.
Brenton Geach/Gallo Images
- The declaration on Zandile Mafe’s fitness to stand trial following the Parliament fire has been postponed until December.
- A two-day inquest took place in the Western Cape High Court.
- Two psychiatric reports recommended treatment and rehabilitation at Valkenberg Hospital instead of a trial.
The outcome of an investigation into whether Zandile Mafe is mentally well enough to stand trial for burning down Parliament will be announced on December 11 by the Western Cape High Court.
The court was set to deliver its verdict on Friday as the two-day inquest concluded around 6 p.m.
Mafe was arrested on January 2, 2022 and his charges include arson and terrorism.
In outbursts, he made unverified claims that he started the fire, but he would plead not guilty.
He was sent for a psychiatric evaluation to determine his fitness to stand trial after numerous observations of his behavior.
He rejected the unanimous findings of court-appointed mental health experts and an independent psychiatrist, hence the investigation.
Experts diagnosed schizophrenia and recommended psychiatric treatment at Valkenberg Hospital and rehabilitation.
READ | Zandile Mafe unfit to stand trial for burning National Assembly
Over the two days, the court heard at length that his symptoms included delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, tangentiality (going off topic for a long time without getting back to the point) and disturbed thought processes.
The investigation was carried out to find out if he can follow the legal procedures and if he understands the illegality of what he is accused of.
His lawyer, Dali Mpofu SC, argued that he was fit to stand trial and that the appointed court’s report was “enigmatic” and flawed.
He said the court should not confuse his controversial political statements about impeaching the government with his ability to understand a legal case.
The prosecutor, lawyer Mervyn Menigo, argued that Mafe was not fit to stand trial and that his behavior during the trial reflected the symptoms the jury foreman testified about on Thursday, and that the entire court had observed.
The statement on whether or not he could stand trial was expected on Friday, but the Setswana interpreter was unable to stay beyond 5:00 p.m. to translate Judge Nathan Erasmus’ findings after hearing closing arguments, where the report.
