A man who confessed to setting the Usindiso building on fire, which resulted in the deaths of 76 people, then later retracted his statement claiming he was not in a sober state when he made it will take the stand in court on Wednesday.
Sithembiso Mdlalose, the accused in the deadly Usindiso building fire, is expected to give his evidence at the Palm Ridge magistrate's court.
Mdlalose's testimony is expected to focus on his version of events, his mental state at the time of the incident, and the circumstances surrounding his decision to reverse his plea.
Mdlalose faces 76 counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, and one count of arson in connection with the August 2023 blaze that tore through the hijacked Usindiso building in Johannesburg’s CBD.
The fire resulted in one of the deadliest residential building incidents in South African history.
Multiple witnesses have testified to the chaotic and violent conditions inside the building, including accounts of a room referred to as the “slaghuis,” allegedly used for torture and punishment.
Earlier proceedings included a confession from Mdlalose, in which he admitted to setting the fire in an attempt to dispose of a body following a fatal assault.
That confession has since been retracted.
When the trial started, Mdlalose had claimed that he was not in a sober state when he initially confessed to starting the fire.
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