Cape Town - The destruction caused to Parliament had cost arsonist-accused and alleged terrorist Zandile Mafe a mere R10.
This forms part of the summary of facts after Mafe’s case was transferred to the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said the matter was transferred after the receipt of all outstanding reports, an authorization certificate and handing over of indictment to Mafe.
“Senior state advocate Mervyn Menigo, told the court during Mafe’s brief appearance at Cape Town Magistrates Court, that the outstanding damage and arson reports have been received, and an authorization certificate which is needed to charge an accused with terrorism was received from the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions.
“Menigo then served the accused with an indictment and summary of facts, and the case was transferred to the high court for a pre-trial conference on August 12 2022,” said Ntabazalila.
The indictment lists charges of housebreaking with intent to commit arson and arson, terrorism and theft.
“It alleges that between January 1 and 2 2022, Mafe engaged in terrorist activity by setting fire to Parliament and destroying the Old and New Assembly Buildings of Parliament. This was intended to intimidate or induce or cause a feeling of insecurity to the public and the President of South Africa and his cabinet ministers, and further unduly intimidate the President of South Africa, to adopt his standpoint as can be gleaned from his demands.
“Mafe threatened that if these demands were not met by January 8 2022, there would be ‘a second great storm approaching South Africa’,” Ntabazalila said.
According to a summary of the facts, Mafe had on December 31, bought R10 from a petrol station in Bellville, poured it into a cold drink bottle and travelled to the Cape Town City Centre.
“He then sat on the pavement, opposite the Plein Street entrance to Parliament, appearing to be observing the entrance gate. When police officials guarding the entrance left, he scaled the fence and made his way into the Parliamentary precinct. He loitered the parliamentary premises avoiding being caught by at least one police patrol by hiding behind a wall. He also crawled, remaining to lie on his stomach to avoid detection,” indictment document detailed.
Cape Times