Cape Town - Homeless people will join civic groups to picket outside the Cape Town magistrate’s court today when Zandile Christmas Mafe makes his appearance on charges relating to a fire at parliament.
This was revealed by Venitia Orgill, an activist who runs a soup kitchen that feeds hundreds of homeless people in the central business district.
Mafe is expected to make a formal bail application while his lawyer will also argue against his arrest.
Orgill said she knows Mafe from her soup kitchen and believes him not capable of what he is accused of: “I will chain myself outside the court from 07:30 in solidarity with Christmas because they have arrested the wrong person.”
Mafe was arrested by police on Sunday last week and subsequently charged with arson and theft.
Orgill said she knew Mafe’s character and was willing to support him in court.
“We cannot be silent when something like this happens. I will be with other homeless people and we will join supporters of Christmas. We demand his release from jail,” she said.
The Black People's National Crisis Committee (BPNCC) is also planning to picket outside the court and has been circulating posters calling for the public to support Mafe.
“We will be supporting Zandile Christmas Mafe by picketing outside the Cape Town’s magistrate court,” said BPNCC organiser Phumzile Jack. “This we do as an act of solidarity to our fellow poor and landless African brother, who has been subjected to the gross conditions we have witnessed in the past couple of days where his dignity has been stripped as he has been falsely accused of a criminal act.”
Jack said the group also noted the state's violation of Mafe's fundamental constitutional rights, after his lawyer revealed he was yet to receive the charge sheet against his client.
“We view this as a political attack on the poor. Mafe is being used as a scapegoat to shield the big dogs behind the burnings of parliament. We call upon the state to allow a free and fair legal process without any political or external interferences. It must be stated that Mr Mafe remains innocent until proven otherwise beyond any reasonable doubt,” said Jack.
The committee also said it had wanted to give Mafe fresh clothes ahead of his appearance, but was barred from doing so by prison officials
Senior counsel advocate Dali Mpofu is expected to form part of Mafe’s legal team. The family of Mafe asked for some privacy ahead of his appearance.
Weekend Argus