Bellarmine Mugabe's Bail Hearing Postponed Again Due to Court Power Outage

Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, and his co-accused Tobias Matondze appeared in the Alexandra Magistrates Court on Thursday for their bail application. The case was postponed again due to a power outage affecting the court.

The postponement marks the second delay this week for their bail application. The pair face seven charges including attempted murder, possession of firearms and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice, contravening the Immigration Act, theft, and pointing a firearm. These charges stem from an alleged shooting incident at Mugabe’s home in Hyde Park last month.

The court has been without electricity for about a week, resulting in multiple cases being postponed since Monday. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is expected to oppose bail when the matter eventually proceeds. Defence lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni expressed frustration over the delays, stating that the defence is still awaiting instructions from their clients regarding their immigration status.

Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament Glynis Breytenbach announced plans to raise concerns with the Minister of Justice following yet another postponement at the Alexandra Magistrate's Court. The ongoing electricity problems have effectively paralysed legal proceedings at the facility, affecting multiple cases on the court roll.

The power outage has not only affected this specific case but has resulted in mass postponements of various matters. Breytenbach noted that while the court is equipped with a generator, it is currently unusable due to either lack of fuel or mechanical issues. She emphasized that these systemic failures are a significant barrier to the administration of justice.

Standing outside the dilapidated court where heavy rains filled potholes and washed sewage and rubbish down the streets, Mugabe’s lawyer Sinenhlanhla Mnguni told reporters that he was “disappointed” that the bail hearing had been suspended. He stated, "I’d like to say that since Tuesday, we’ve been ready to proceed. We’ve been ready to proceed as well back on Monday last week. Of course, we understand these things are out of our hands."

According to SABC and News24 reports cited by Daily Maverick, two additional charges—pointing a firearm and contravention of the Immigration Act—were expected to be presented in court. These charges were related to cases opened in 2023 and February 2026. However, Mnguni clarified that these charges were not new but had been part of the case since its inception.

Breytenbach called the conditions at the court “shocking,” noting that courts she assessed often lacked water, had locked toilets, and generators that lacked fuel. She stated, "We understand that matters have had to be rolled over since Monday because there’s no electricity. We understand the generator, there is a generator, but it’s not working. This is justice delayed, justice denied." Breytenbach added that she would engage with the chairperson of the portfolio committee on justice to arrange for Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi to report to Parliament about the conditions inside and outside the court.

On Wednesday, Johannesburg’s Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku performed a site visit to Alexandra following public outcry over published images showing decay outside the court. Tshwaku stated on his official X account that multi-departmental teams were executing damage assessment, emergency sewer repair, and waste removal initiatives.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development did not respond to Daily Maverick’s request for comment. Mugabe and Matondze will remain in custody until 11 March when their bail application is expected to proceed.