Frederick Mhangazo: Cape Town fire arson charges dropped
The state dropped the charges of arson against Frederick Mhangazo on Wednesday. He now faces a lesser charge for a fire he allegedly started.
Frederick Mhaganzo, the man accused of starting a fire in Cape Town, was released on R500 bail at the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 28 April. Mhangazo was initially charged with arson, which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, but National Prosecuting said there was not enough evidence to justify the charge.
Mhangazo is now charged with allegedly contravening the National Environmental Management Act, which carries a possible sentence of three years.
Frederick Mhangazo was initially charged with arson.
Mhangazo will live in a commune linked to social support and training programmes while waiting for the next leg of the case.
Tears welled up in Frederick Mhangazo s eyes after his release on bail following his arrest during the Table Mountain blaze. I feel good, he said shakily, when asked how he was after his release.
On Wednesday the court heard that the charges he faced have been being amended from arson to an alleged contravention of a by-law.
Looking tired and overwhelmed, Mhangazo did not want to comment on the charge that he faces, but placed his hand on his pro bono lawyer Shaun Balram s shoulder in a gesture of gratitude.
The State is now pressing charges of contravening the National Environmental Management Act against Frederick Mhangazo in connection with a fire on Devil’s Peak, Cape Town. Until the morning of Wednesday, 28 April, it was pressing charges of arson against him. It is not yet clear which section of the act he is said to have violated.
Mhangazo was released on R500 bail in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. The matter will proceed in court on 18 June. It was postponed to allow for further investigations.
In addition, the matter was moved from the regional court to the district court.
WATCH | Female plumber revamps orphanage for free on World Plumbing Day 12 March 2021 - 13:19
Shamiela Cloete removes an old sink from a bathroom wall and begins removing the taps from the ceramic basin.
“When I tell people who don t know that I am a plumber, they react with, A plumber? Really? Why? and I answer them with, Why not? It s not just males who can do this job, females can also do it and we are here to change the world,” said Cloete.
Cloete is in her third year of a plumbing apprenticeship run by the College of Cape Town and as part of World Plumbing Day she was working alongside dozens of qualified plumbers to revamp the plumbing systems at Holy Cross Orphanage in Parow Valley on Thursday.
SA s BPO sector well placed to absorb matric learners it-online.co.za - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from it-online.co.za Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.