WATCH | I lied about starting the Usindiso fire to get food, shelter in prison – Mdlalose

A man on trial for the deadly Usindiso fire that killed 76 people and injured 12 others said he had lied about having started the fire because he wanted to go to prison as he knew he would get food and shelter there.

Sithembiso Mdlalose, 32, broke down in tears while in the dock at Palm Ridge magistrate's court on Wednesday as he read his statement in which he said he spent three living years on the street and could not go back to that life.

“I didn't kill anyone, I just wanted to go to prison because they would provide me with food and shelter,” he said.

According to Mdlalose, his boss known as Master was the one who caused the fire after assaulting a man.

However, he said he had lied about causing the fire which also left 12 people injured to avoid ending up back on the streets and also because he wanted a new life.

“The only crime that, my lord, you can convict me on is of lying under oath. Sometimes when I sit back, I admire and say, how good was I to be able to convince even the magistrate himself that I might have been the one who started the fire.”

Senior magistrate Pieter du Plessis was the one who had recorded Mdlalose’s confession in January last year. 

According to Mdlalose, he lied in his confession because he “just wanted a new life” as prison would offer him shelter and food.

The only crime that, my lord, you can convict me on is of lying under oath. Sometimes when I sit back, I admire and say, how good was I to be able to convince even the magistrate himself that I might have been the one who started the fire.

—  Sithembiso Mdlalose

He also claimed to have seen Master pouring the petrol on the assaulted man.

“I found Master on the first floor, and he was angry with me because I took time and did not come back with petrol. And we then went to the room where there was a guy who was assaulted and I saw that there was a guard at the door. When I entered the room with the master, I saw the contents on the floor, which had petrol inside. I noticed that the guy who was assaulted was sitting on the chair, his head, and upper body bent looking down, and did not have any movement.

“Master and I left the room but after some time, Master called me. We went back to the room where the guy who was assaulted was sitting. Master took the container, poured it on the man, then poured it on the ground and we went outside of the room.

“He poured the petrol outside the room and left the container there. I then left and went to the third floor, but after some time there was a burst of fire, and I think Master was the one who lit the petrol,” Mdlalose explained.

He said the initial statement he had given where he claimed to have caused the fire was false as he was high at the time but a month later when he appeared before the Usindiso commission, he was sober.

“I've reached the deep end because the statement that I had given was not convincing enough for me to go to the government hotel (prison).

SowetanLIVE