Man accused of terrorism over fire at South African Parliament says he ‘burned it intentionally’

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — A man facing terrorism charges over a fire that badly damaged South Africa’s Parliament building last year said in a courtroom outburst on Thursday that he “burned it intentionally.” Shouting and pointing his finger, Zandile Mafe said he was going to “burn it more” if the Parliament was not moved from Cape Town to either the city of Bloemfontein or Pretoria. The huge blaze badly damaged the historic Parliament complex in January last year as it ripped through various buildings, including the main chamber where lawmakers sit. The judge overseeing Thursday’s court appearance allowed Mafe to finish his rant, saying he didn’t want to “exacerbate” his “mental condition,” according to South African media reports. The fire at the seat of South Africa’s democracy raised criticism of the security procedures in place at the Parliament whose members were on a break and the buildings were largely empty.