The South African prosecutors have pointed out that the suspect that allegedly set fire to the South African parliament was caught with explosives.

The suspect, 49-year-old, Zandile Christmas Mafe, is facing five charges including two counts of arson, following the blaze which began tearing its way through the historic Cape Town building on Sunday.

Mafe has since denied all charges and his lawyer has pointed out that he is a victim of mistaken identity.

Official court documents have also pointed out that Mafe did not enter a plea.

Mafe now remains in custody as prosecutors have opposed bail citing the severity of the charges.

Reports outlined that security officials arrested Mafe at the parliamentary complex on Sunday, January 2 shortly after the fire was reported. The reports also stated that Mafe was caught with stolen laptops, crockery, and documents.

Mafe’s lawyer said his client had moved to Cape Town about six years ago and did not have a job. He also accused the South African government of picking up a poor man because they needed to find a suspect and using Mr Mafe as a scapegoat for its failure to protect its own infrastructure. However, prosecutors say that they are certain that they have the right man.

Meanwhile, Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Jean-Pierre Smith said the fire was only extinguished early on Tuesday. Smith also outlined that on Monday afternoon, the fire flared up in a roof as Cape Town’s strong south-easterly winds combined with floorboards, years of dust, and recently placed bitumen (an asphalt used to seal the roof created), created conditions for the fire to resume.

However, by midnight, the fire was brought under control, and teams of firefighters worked their way through a labyrinth of rooms to locate and extinguish other potential hotspots.