The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Wednesday agreed to centralise the cases of murder and assault levelled against Mark Zinde, whose mental state has been under the spotlight.
The 23-year-old accused, who has undergone psychiatric evaluation and treatment is accused of killing his television personality mother, Hope Zinde, and assaulting his father, Dr Lebohang Mohale Manoto, while he was on bail of R10,000.
Mark Zinde allegedly killed his mother in June 2016 at her home in Pecanwood outside Brit and attacked his father with a glass a few months later on 6 November. Hope Zinde was a former television anchor and board member of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
The accused’s bail has since been revoked and he is being remanded in custody.
The assault case was being heard in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court, in the Vaal 60 km south of Johannesburg, while the the murder trial was being heard in the Brits Magistrate’s Court in the North West province.
On Wednesday Mark Zinde’s lawyer Francois Joubert asked the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court to postpone the assault matter to 26 January in order to get the high court date after the NPA agreed to centralise the two matters.
“We are waiting for the high court date, he will appear again on the 24th in Brits, where we will hopefully get the date, and also that he be referred back to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital,” Joubert said.
Previously, Joubert told the court he had received a report from a doctor which indicated that more assessments needed to be done on the accused.
Mark Zinde was previously admitted at the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital for assessment and was found to be fit to stand trial and capable of understanding court proceedings.
The report further stated that Mark Zinde did not suffer from any mental disorder when he allegedly killed his mother.
However, the defence disputes the psychiatric report from Weskoppies and wants the accused re-admitted and re-evaluated.
Zinde, who was carrying numerous plastic bags during court proceedings, waved at his relatives before he went down to the holding cells.
After the court proceedings were over, Mark Zinde’s grandmother, Audrey Zinde said she was “a bit disappointed” that the high court date hadn’t been finalised.
“We were expecting that we will get the date today, but it’s fine we have given everything to God, what more can we do,” she said.
The accused is expected to appear in the Brits magistrate’s court in January 24, where an application for admission at Weskoppies will be made and also get the High Court date.
– African News Agency (ANA)
