Parliament fire: Accused arrives in court holding cells in pyjamas and on hunger strike

By: News24Wire

Parliament arson-accused Zandile Mafe is on another hunger strike, his lawyer said after a dramatic no-show in the dock for his pre-trial hearing in the Western Cape High Court on Friday.  Mafe was expected to make a quick appearance for a trial date to be set. When the orderlies went to fetch him from the holding cells downstairs for his court appearance, they found him lying on the ground and could not get him to go up to the court. It is his second hunger strike since his arrest. The first hunger strike was when he was sent to Valkenberg psychiatric facility after an initial diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. The matter was postponed to 2 September for further pretrial.  →