[imagesource: Anthony Molyneaux]

The fire that tore through UCT, before making its way along Table Mountain’s slopes to Devil’s Peak, is still fresh in the minds of Capetonians.

You only need to drive along Philip Kgosana Drive (formerly De Waal Drive) to see the damage wrought, and UCT’s Jagger Library (or Jagger Reading Room) lost many irreplaceable historical items.

Whilst the initial fire was likely caused by “a vacated vagrant fire”, numerous residents in the Devil’s Peak area also reported seeing people lighting fires on Sunday, April 18.

One man was arrested after 8PM that evening, with police spokesperson Andre Traut stating that two other suspects managed to evade arrest.

The man has since been named as 35-year-old Frederick Mhangazo, a Tanzanian national who is currently living at Our House, a haven for homeless people in the city.

GroundUp reports that Mhangazo’s case was postponed for further investigation in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Friday:

Should the hearing against Mhangazo be postponed yet again by the state at his appearance next month, his pro bono lawyer, Shaun Balram, says he’ll have no choice but to request that the matter be removed from the court’s roll…

On Friday, the prosecutor said the state was still gathering witness statements and asked for more time to conduct further investigations.

Image: Christi Nortier / The Daily Maverick

To which Balram objected, arguing that the state was given enough time to complete its investigation.

“We feel that it is infringing on our client’s right to a speedy and fair trial by [the state] being awarded postponement upon postponement and not coming back with results from that postponement,” said Balram.

Mhangazo first appeared on April 20, facing a charge of arson, and then again on April 28.

At that hearing, the charges he faced were changed and he was granted bail of R500.

The magistrate granted the state’s request and said another postponement will not be given at the next hearing on 2 July.

The matter continues on July 2, with Mhangazo facing charges of breaching a by-law under the National Environmental Management Act.

[source:groundup]