The High Court has ruled that the confession made by Sthembiso Mdlalose, the man who admitted to starting the deadly fire at Johannesburg’s Usindiso building in 2023, can be used as evidence in his trial.
The court found that Mdlalose was of sober mind and made the statement “freely and voluntarily” when he confessed to a magistrate in January 2024. Initially, Mdlalose claimed responsibility for the blaze, which killed 76 people, but later alleged he was forced to confess.
Judge Cassim Moosa, presiding over a trial-within-a-trial to determine the confession’s validity, ruled that the state had proven beyond reasonable doubt that no undue influence was applied. The written confession, marked as Exhibit A, was deemed legally obtained.
Reasons for the ruling will be detailed in the main judgment. Mdlalose now faces trial for his alleged role in one of South Africa’s deadliest fires.
