NPA wins bid to reopen State case in Usindiso Building fire trial

By Charmaine Ndlela

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has secured a major breakthrough in the Usindiso Building fire trial after the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge, granted the State’s application to reopen its case against accused Lawrance Sithembiso Mdlalose.

Mdlalose, 30, faces 76 counts of murder and 12 counts of attempted murder, as well as charges of arson and defeating the ends of justice, following the fire that tore through the Usindiso Building in Marshalltown, Johannesburg, on 31 August 2023.

The blaze claimed 76 lives and left more than 80 people injured, making it one of South Africa’s deadliest building fires in recent history.

The State applied to reopen its case after the court raised concerns about inconsistencies in some of the post-mortem evidence presented during the trial.

The application was made after both the State and defence had closed their cases and filed heads of