LOCAL
Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula has appealed to the public not to speculate on the cause of the fire that destroyed parts of Parliament. She was speaking at the handing over of the City Hall by Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. The president will be hosting the SONA from the historic building on Feb 10th.
It comes ahead of alleged arsonist and terrorist Zandile Mafe’s next court appearance on Friday, and public commentary around a potential “inside job”. State prosecutor Mervyn Menigo claims that Mafe admitted to setting parliament ablaze during his bail application at the Cape Town Regional Court on Saturday.
According to Menigo, Mafe wanted to demand president Cyril Ramaphosa’s resignation, the release of Chris Hani’s murderer, Janus Walusz, and a R1500 grant for the unemployed. This is in contradiction to Mafe’s legal team which has been advocating his innocence, earlier saying he is being used as a scapegoat for government failures. The NPA says that the 49-year-old is a danger to society and himself.
