Students from Norway who were on a field trip to South Africa wait to be tested for COVID-19 before boarding a flight to Amsterdam at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport on November 29, 2021. Photo: AFP

 Prosecutors in South Africa have added a terrorism charge to a Cape Town man who is suspected of setting fire to Parliament, which eventually gutted parliament buildings, the court heard on Tuesday.

Zandile Christmas Mafe, 49, had been charged with housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, two counts of arson, possession of an explosive device and destruction of an essential infrastructure.

In Mafe's second appearing at Cape Town Magistrates' Court after a 7-day postponement required by the prosecution, it was heard that the prosecution added a count in terms of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act, and that the accused was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia after being sent for mental observation by the State on January 3. 

The accused "did unlawfully and intentionally deliver, place, discharge or detonate an explosive or other lethal devices in, into or against a place of public use, a state or government facility, or an infrastructure facility, at or near Parliament, upon or about January 2," read the charge sheet.

The matter has been postponed until February 11, for Mafe to go for 30-day mental observation at a hospital as applied by the prosecution.

However, the defense plans to bring the bail application before that, although the date has not been set as the prosecution office is closed for decontamination, Eric Ntabazalila, regional spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA), told media outside the court.

In a separate live interview with local TV channel eNCA, Ntabazalila said the prosecution decided to add the charge of "terrorism act with using explosives to destroy the parliament" after viewing a footage showing Mafe's presence in the parliament. He also said the reason for the mental observation is that it will determine whether Mafe is able to keep instruction or understand the proceeding of the court after the bail application starts. Outside the court, people were protesting against the arrest of Mafe, who is said to be homeless, alleging the move is a cover-up.