Self-confessed Usindiso building arsonist back in court

JOHANNESBURG - Self-confessed Usindiso building arsonist, Sthembiso Mdlalose, will return to the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on Tuesday for the continuation of his trial.

It's been 15 months since Mdlalose admitted to setting fire to the five-storey hijacked building in the inner city of Johannesburg.

The blaze killed more than 70 people, left hundreds with serious injuries and many more homeless.

The 31-year-old who confessed at the Usindiso building inquiry established to probe the blaze faces charges of murder, attempted murder and arson.

It was in the early hours of 31 August 2023, when Mdlalose allegedly murdered a man in the basement of the Usindiso building and tried to conceal the evidence by burning his body.

During the Usindiso building inquiry, he admitted that he didn't expect the fire to spread throughout the entire five-story building.

The tragedy would later be known as the deadliest blaze in South African history.

Mdlalose will now have to recount these events in court, where the prosecution claims to have hundreds of witnesses ready to testify against the self-confessed arsonist.

Although his trial was originally scheduled to start earlier in April, the presiding judge granted his new legal representative more time to go through the docket.

Meanwhile, Mdlalose remains in custody and has abandoned bail.