Zandile Mafe coming up the dock in court. Zandile Mafe had an explosive outburst in the Western Cape High Court. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency(ANA)
The man alleged to have burnt Parliament had a major outburst in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday.
Zandile Mafe Christmas is currently on pre-trial.
Earlier this year, Mafe was sent for a psychiatric evaluation at the Fort England Psychiatric Hospital in the Eastern Cape after he refused to be admitted to Valkenberg Hospital in Cape Town.
Mafe, who has since been held in the hospital section of Pollsmoor Prison for several weeks, went on a rant that shocked the court.
Mafe faces charges of housebreaking with intent to commit terrorism and arson, terrorism, arson and theft, and has been in custody since January 2 last year, after the National Assembly building in Cape Town was gutted by fire.
Coming from the holding cells and entering the dock, Mafe let loose and admitted to burning Parliament.
“You must take it to Bloemfontein, that Parliament. If you don’t take it to Pretoria. If you don’t relocate. It must move. This Parliament here I burnt it intentionally. Me, Christmas Zandile Mafe. I’m going to burn it more if it doesn’t move to Bloemfontein or Pretoria,” he said while gesturing his hands all over the place.
He went on further stating the service delivery protests happening ‘outside’ was regarding his release.
Mafe also went on a rant about load shedding.
“Last year, load shedding occurred for 2,900 hours, 207 days last year. Load shedding occurred 177 times,” he said.
He was adamant that Parliament should be moved to the ‘majority of the people’.
Mafe also went on a racist rant.
“Parliament must move here from the white racist right-wing DA.
“DA must not be in the Parliament. DA are killers, are murderers. They kill blacks,” Mafe said.
The report of his mental evaluation is yet to be disclosed.
The matter was postponed until August 10.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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