Sthembiso Mdlalose claims he was high when confessing to deadly Usindiso fire
Sthembiso Mdlalose, accused of starting the Usindiso Building fire that killed 76 people in Johannesburg’s CBD on 31 August 2023, has withdrawn his previous confessions, claiming he was high and mentally unstable when he made them.
Mdlalose had initially confessed in January 2024 before the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry and again to a magistrate, stating he started the fire to cover up a murder he committed while under the influence of crystal meth. He has since changed his plea, asserting that both confessions were made while he was intoxicated, battling drug addiction, and under pressure from an unnamed drug kingpin.
His legal team, led by Advocate Leonard Cindi, argues the confessions are inadmissible under South Africa’s Criminal Procedure Act, which requires that a confession must be made freely and voluntarily. Cindi maintains that Mdlalose was not in a sound state of mind at the time and that his drug use severely impaired his judgment.
Today, 22 April 2025, Mdlalose pleaded not guilty to 90 charges in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court, including arson, 76 counts of murder, and attempted murder. The court will evaluate whether his confessions can be legally accepted.