Parliament arsonist accused Zandile Mafe has been declared unfit to stand trial by Judge Jonathan Erasmus at the Western Cape High Court today. This follows an inquiry into his fitness to stand trial for allegedly torching the National Assembly building in January last year

Delivering his judgment, Judge Erasmus described Mafe as delusional and that he showed signs of schizophrenia. "Mr Mafe is not capable of understanding the proceedings as to make proper defence, therefore, my findings are in concurrence with experts that he is not fit to stand trial," Judge Erasmus said. Mafe was assessed by psychiatrists between March and May this year at the Fort England Psychiatric Hospital in the Eastern Cape where doctors' reports described him as delusional, showed signs of hallucinations and that his speech was disorganised. "I attempted to listen attentively to what Mr Mafe had to say. Sometimes I wasn't sure whether he was on point and other times it was clear as crystal, but I'm not going to draw to any inferences," Erasmus said. The judge added that he was of the view that he could rely on the mental report after hearing arguments from the state and the defence in the inquiry.

During an inquiry into his fitness to stand trial in July this year, Mafe went on a rant admitting that he intentionally burnt the Parliament. " I burned it so that it can move from here. It must be changed to be a public toilet," he said, adding that, "Give me a life sentence, I will be the next President in 2048," He is facing charges of terrorism, arson, housebreaking, terrorism and theft. Mafe has in the past insisted there was nothing wrong with him and claimed to have set the National Assembly building alight because Parliament was "useless".