Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg on fire during unrest. Picture: Screen grab.
Judgement in the trial of the man accused of torching Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg is expected to delivered in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Friday.
Ndumiseni Khetha Zuma, 35, faces charges of incitement to commit public violence, in relation to the burning of the Brookside Mall in July 2021, during the looting and civil unrest that took place in parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
His trial began in July 2022.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Kara said Zuma remains behind bars following an unsuccessful bail application.
The mall was re-opened in September 2022 at a cost of R130 million.
Msunduzi Municipality mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla said the burning of the mall was the most frustrating sight in the city alongside other incidents of similar nature.
The Daily News reported that 300 temporary jobs were created and 200 employees were reinstated.
“From a public safety perspective, as the municipality we will play a co-ordinating role with the security cluster to ensure the safety and security of the public in addition to any security measures implemented.”
In another incident, five men who looted a cold storage facility in Chesterville, Durban during the July 2021 riots have been sentenced to direct imprisonment.
The five accused pleaded not guilty to theft, claiming that the R80,000 worth of meat found in their vehicle during the riots, belonged to someone else.
IOL News
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