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IOL News
14 hours ago
- General
- IOL News
Usindiso Fire: Arson trial resumes as survivors prepare to testify
Lawrance Sithebiso Mdlalose accused of starting the Usindiso building fire that claimed the lives of 76 people. The trial of the man accused of igniting the deadly fire at the Usindiso building in the Johannesburg CBD resumed on June 2 at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court, with more witnesses expected to take the stand. Sthembiso Mdlalose, who previously admitted to starting the blaze, faces multiple charges including murder, attempted murder, and arson. The fire, which tore through the five-storey building in August 2023, claimed the lives of more than 70 people and left dozens injured. The tragedy shocked the nation and highlighted the dangers posed by unsafe, hijacked buildings in the inner city. Mdlalose's trial, which began earlier this year, has already featured explosive testimony and the reading of his confession. In the statement, Mdlalose claimed that the fire was not intended to kill others. According to his account, he had allegedly killed a man on the ground floor of the building and set the body alight to destroy evidence. The resulting fire quickly spread through the overcrowded structure, with fatal consequences. In previous court sessions, the defence attempted to have the confession thrown out, arguing that it had been made under duress. However, the magistrate ruled in favour of the prosecution, allowing the statement to be admitted as evidence. That ruling is expected to be a key factor in the State's case as it seeks to prove Mdlalose's intent and responsibility for the catastrophic blaze. The court will now turn its attention to eyewitness testimony from survivors of the fire. These personal accounts are anticipated to paint a harrowing picture of the events that unfolded on the night of the blaze, including desperate attempts to escape the smoke-filled corridors and the chaos that ensued. Prosecutors are expected to argue that Mdlalose's actions directly led to the deaths and injuries, regardless of whether he intended the full scope of the destruction. They have framed the case as not only about arson but about reckless disregard for human life in one of the worst residential fires in recent South African history. The Usindiso building, once a government-owned property, had been illegally occupied and was in a dilapidated state at the time of the fire. The tragedy sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of urban decay and the ongoing problem of hijacked buildings, particularly in Johannesburg's inner city. Civil society organisations and housing advocates have called for greater oversight and intervention in the management of abandoned buildings, warning that without urgent action, similar incidents could occur. As the trial progresses, it continues to draw significant public and media interest. The outcome may not only determine the fate of the accused but could also set a precedent for how similar cases involving derelict properties and preventable disasters are handled in the future. Court proceedings are expected to continue on June 5, with more survivor testimonies scheduled and forensic evidence likely to be presented in the coming days.
TimesLIVE
14-05-2025
- TimesLIVE
Witness 'doesn't believe' Usindiso fire accused was forced to confess
A woman who survived the Usindiso fire in which 76 people were killed doesn't believe Lawrence Sithembiso Mdlalose, accused of setting the building alight, was coerced into confessing by an alleged Tanzanian drug dealer. Noluthando Khumalo-Mzizi testified at the Johannesburg high court sitting in Palm Ridge magistrate's court on Wednesday, a day after Mdlalose's confession was read in court. Mdlalose is accused of setting fire to the Usindiso building in Johannesburg in 2023, resulting in the deaths of 76 people and leaving 12 others injured. After the incident, a commission of inquiry led by former justice Sisi Khampepe to probe, among other aspects, the circumstances that led to the deaths was established in September 2023. Mdlalose gave testimony on January 23 2024, allegedly implicating himself as the person who started the fire, resulting in an order by Khampepe that he be taken to a magistrate to reduce his confession to writing. He is facing 76 counts of murder, one count of arson and 12 counts of attempted murder. Khumalo-Mzizi testified that she knew the alleged Tanzanian drug dealer as she used to do her hair at his salon. She told the court that she only knew tenants who were living on floor one, where she was staying, and didn't know Mdlalose. She said that night of the fire, she heard noise from the basement, where Master stayed, late in the evening before the fire started. 'I said to myself that those are Tanzanians, they had already started as they used to fight and make noise and hurt one another,' she testified, adding that it was normal for them to make noise. 'Upon hearing the noise, I ignored it.' She said that was around 11pm and she subsequently heard people screaming around 2am. She peeped through the window and realised that the smoke was emanating from Master's side, who lived on the ground floor. 'I took the phone, the gown and ended up opening the door. After that, I tried to run towards the west direction. I took two steps and I could feel there was heat on my face,' she testified, adding that she had been sleeping naked. 'I made a turn, heading to the other side where there is another gate. I could feel I was stepping on bodies.' She testified that she stumbled upon about 11 bodies while naked in the darkness. She said it was dark as there was no electricity in the building. She added that she jumped over the balcony from the first floor when one of the tenants advised her to put on her gown. She testified that she last saw the alleged Tanzanian drug lord, Master, three months after the incident. She testified that she didn't know who could have burnt the building, but she knew that it was set alight. When asked about Mdlalose's confession during cross-examination, she testified that she did not believe he was forced to confess. When asked if Master was responsible for the fire, she told the court that she didn't know anything. 'He is lying. Do you think someone will threaten you to do that, and agree to go to jail? If he was threatened, why didn't he go to the police and inform them? 'We are talking about Master, who is a foreign national, and when we talk about Sithembiso, we are talking about a South African citizen. How come he was threatened by a foreign national?' she asked. 'We were left with nothing because of him. We are left with no friends, no families, and some of the children have lost their parents. He must just come forth and tell the truth,' she said. She added that she knew Master was selling drugs, but she did not know who was selling drugs on his behalf. In his confession, Mdlalose said the man he had asked to sell R300 merchandise for him had not returned and he had already told Master that he gave the merchandise to KB and Master wasn't really happy with this explanation. 'I had to find him as my life was at risk. We found him on Wednesday evening,' he said in his confession. He said that he and Siwe took KB to Usindiso Building, ground floor, where they had a room called Slaghuis — a room where people are tortured. He said at the time he didn't squander the proceeds and had to prove himself to Master by assaulting KB. 'Based on the fact that I acted in rage, I think I overdid the assault. I returned later, saw he was conscious, so I started beating him again. There was a kettle cord which I used to strangle him,' he said in his confession. He said he wasn't intending on killing KB, but when he realised that he was no longer breathing, he was in a state of confusion and panic he had to devise a way to get rid of the body or move it. 'I decided to go buy petrol. I didn't expect my actions would lead to innocent people dying and being injured. I came back after buying the petrol and I doused his [KB's] body with petrol and I went to stand near the doorway, struck a match and threw it at his body,' read the confession. The trial was adjourned until Friday.
Eyewitness News
12-05-2025
- Eyewitness News
Usindiso building fire: Court rules that Sthembiso Mdlalose's confession can be used as evidence
Mdlalose, the self-confessed Usindiso building arsonist, claimed that he was high on drugs when he confessed to starting the blaze. He also told the court that a Tanzanian drug lord forced him to confess by threatening him to take the blame. It was on these grounds that Mdlalose was trying to reverse his confession. But presiding Judge Cassim Moosa ruled that the confession was admissible in court and could be used against him. "The court finds that the statement which Mr Sthembiso Mdlalose made was made freely and voluntarily and without any undue influence being applied upon the accused." This means the trial-within-a-trial has now come to an end, and the State will continue with its case against the alleged arsonist.
The Citizen
07-05-2025
- The Citizen
Nquthu man who raped and killed teenage girl jailed for life
A man who raped and murdered a teenage girl he was tasked to look after has been sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment by the Nquthu Regional Court. The 24-year-old volunteered to look after the 15-year-old girl after her cousin and the cousin's boyfriend left their home in the Mxangala area on October 29, 2022, to attend a night vigil. The man had already been scolded by the cousin for 'proposing love' to the teenager, but he was nevertheless left with the girl in a rondavel. When the cousin and her boyfriend returned home in the early hours of the morning, they found the girl dead outside the rondavel. The girl's father and the local induna were alerted, and the man was arrested shortly afterwards. During the trial, Prosecutor Mphakamiseni Joel Justice Mdlalose led the evidence of the grandmother and cousin of the deceased, as well as the findings of the post-mortem. Mdlalose also told the court that the accused had deprived the complainant's family by taking her life, as the family had hopes of her getting a good job and uplifting them. The accused received two life sentences – one for the murder and one for the rape. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and the court ordered that his name be added into the National Register for Sex Offenders. 'The NPA hopes that sentences of this nature serve as a deterrent to like-minded individuals,' said NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara. HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Herald
03-05-2025
- The Herald
Usindiso 'arsonist' claims he was coerced while 'highly intoxicated' to confess
Sthembiso Mdlalose, accused of setting fire to the Usindiso Building in August 2023, maintains he was heavily intoxicated when he testified at the Khampepe commission of inquiry, where he 'implicated' himself. The self-confessed drug addict also claims he was coerced by an alleged Tanzanian drug lord named Master, whom he was allegedly selling drugs for, to confess to setting the fire. Mdlalose took the witness stand on Friday at the Johannesburg high court, sitting at the Palm Ridge magistrate's court, in a trial within a trial about the admissibility of his confession. He is accused of starting a fire at the hijacked Usindiso building in the Johannesburg CBD that killed 76 people. He faces 76 counts of murder, 86 of attempted murder and arson. The 31-year-old, who used to live in the Usindiso building, allegedly confessed to having started the fire during a commission of inquiry last year established to probe its cause. Mdlalose later retracted his confession, claiming he was coerced to take the blame by a dangerous drug lord. He told the court his first encounter with the police was on December 11 2023, when he decided to go to Johannesburg Central police station to look for a police officer investigating the case. This was after he allegedly relayed the story about the events of that dreadful night to his alleged colleague. Both were allegedly selling drugs for 'Master'. Mdlalose told the court that his colleague, Faith Ngcobo, assured him that the investigating officer would assist, as he did not trust police from the Johannesburg Central police station. 'I wasn't threatened when I went to the police,' he said when the court asked why he decided to go to the police station. 'I told the police that Master started the fire. Homeless occupants of the building were suffering while Master was roaming around,' he said, adding that this is what prompted him to tell Ngcobo. Earlier in January 2024, he had met Master and their conversation had been brief, but rumours had already started about what transpired that night. On January 23 2024, police fetched him to take him to the Khampepe commission after he had been taking crystal meth for days. While they were at the commission, he allegedly had an encounter with Master who gave him two packets of crystal meth. 'I was shocked to even learn that Master was there. He told me that I must implicate myself. I had also taken a lot of drugs the night before,' he said. During cross-examination by the state, Mdlalose told the court he had been taking drugs for more than 10 years. 'People who take crystal meth are good at hiding it,' he told the court. He testified that he confessed while under the influence, and police officials, including the magistrate, could not detect that he was intoxicated. After his testimony at the commission, police arrested him and kept him in the holding cell, and the after day he allegedly made a confession to the magistrate. When asked why he decided to implicate himself, Mdlalose said Master, was close to him. 'I was so close to Master. He had taken me in when I was down and out. Implicating myself was the only option. It was the only way to implicate myself and find a way to get out of this situation,' he said. Mdlalose maintained he was threatened at the inquiry and was not in the proper state of mind as, according to him, a person who takes crystal meth is anxious and hyperactive. He told the court that Master ambushed him at the commission of inquiry when he was highly intoxicated. The trial was postponed to May 12 for the state and the defence to submit their arguments before the court rules whether the alleged confession is admissible. TimesLIVE
