The woman who is accused of setting alight an Eagle Liner passenger bus in Gqeberha was denied bail in the local magistrate's court on Monday.
Yamkela Mahobe (24), was arrested in Willowvale last month after threatening to torch the bus during an apparent dispute over a cell phone on 2 November.
She faces a charge of malicious damage to property after causing an estimated R3.2 million in damage to the bus.
It is still unclear how she managed to set the bus on fire.
During the bail hearing on Monday, the state submitted three statements from the investigating officer, her mother, and aunt who all confirmed that she was a flight risk and did not have a permanent residential address.
The investigating officer also said in his statement, that the accused had also threatened to kill him.
The court heard that after being alerted by the bus company of the threats to set the bus alight, the investigating officer arranged to meet with her to give her the phone.
After failing to arrive at the agreed-upon destination, Mahobe allegedly threatened to kill the investigating officer if he did not return her phone.
Days later, Mahobe was seen on video footage on the 2 November at the crime scene.
It was her sister, Sibongakonke Mahobe, who informed the police that Mahobe had arrived at her mother's house in Willowvale where she was arrested.
However, in statements from her mother and aunt, it emerged that she does not live in Willowvale and travels between Johannesburg, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape.
Her aunt said in her affidavit that Mahobe has a drug problem.
The case was postponed to 2 February 2024 for further investigation.
