Parliament arson-accused Zandile Mafe launched into a loud monologue of threats and accusations as he arrived for the inquiry into his fitness to stand trial in the Western Cape High Court. 

Faced by a bank of cameras, he was greeted by this journalist and launched into wide-ranging commentary and opinion.

He was eventually stopped when his counsel Dali Mpofu SC arrived and stopped him. 

Mafe was then removed from the court and, when he was brought back, prosecutor Mervyn Menigo, supported by Mpofu, asked Judge Nathan Erasmus that the media not use the footage, recordings or statements. 

But Erasmus said: "The media also have rights," adding that he would provisionally not bar the media from using the footage.

As the interpreter translated this for him, Mafe interjected again, repeating some of the utterances. 

"I am going to order Mr Mafe to be removed from the court," said Erasmus. Mpofu then spoke to him and he sat down again. 

His commentary included calling for people of a certain race to be shot and a claim that he'd told his fellow detainees at Pollsmoor to have the trial judge shot. 

Mafe rejected reports by State-appointed psychiatrists, and the independent report he requested which found he was not fit to stand trial. 

He disagrees with their findings that he does not understand the wrongfulness of his actions. The findings have not been confirmed by the court yet. 

Mafe was arrested on the sidelines of the fire on 2 January 2022, and although he has not pleaded, in previous outbursts to the court he said he had started the fire because Parliament was useless. 

He is represented for free by advocates Mpofu and Nikiwe Nyathi, instructed by attorney Luvuyo Godla. 

There was an earlier provisional psychiatric assessment which sent Mafe to Valkenberg Hospital for evaluation. This was based on the investigating officers' concerns about his body language and the statements he made shortly after his arrest. 

This referral was declared procedurally unlawful and he was discharged from Valkenberg and sent to Pollsmoor Prison.

Mafe hails from Mahikeng in the North West and travelled around the country for work. His last job was at Albany Bakery in Cape Town. After that he eked out a living carrying groceries for shoppers. He alternated between sleeping on the streets and sleeping in his shack in Khayelitsha, depending on his income.

At the time of the fire, there was speculation that he was a Russian-trained operative, and some commentators found it inconceivable that he could have done it by himself.

Early untested CCTV evidence has him lighting a piece of newspaper and dropping it into the National Assembly. 

A psychiatrist began testifying as Mafe listened intently.