Pretoria - Mark Zinde, who killed his former SABC board member mother Hope Zinde, was declared mentally ill and committed to a mental institution on Friday.
He will be detained at a psychiatric institution - either for the rest of his life or until a panel of psychiatrists are of the view that he was fit to let loose into the community again.
But a judge will have to finally decide over his liberty if and when he or she is one day approached by the psychiatrists.
A panel of three psychiatrists from Weskoppies Hospital found that he was a danger to himself and to others and that he had to be committed to an institution.
It was established that Zinde suffered from schizophrenia. He also presented with narcissistic and other personality disorders.
It was agreed by all that he needed to be under supervision at all time. While there is no bed available at this time at a mental institution, Zinde will be held at the prison hospital until he is transported to his new home.
Gauteng High Court Judge Bert Bam found that on the strength of statements before court, Zinde did murder his 50-year-old mother in June 2016 at their luxury Pecan Wood Estate home.
He stuffed her lifeless body into the boot of the car and it was only discovered later after worried family members went to the house to check on the deceased.
She did not answer her calls and when the family arrived at the security entrance of the estate, Zinde refused them entry.
The police were called and when they arrived at the house and confronted him, a packet of drugs containing methacholine fell out of his pocket.
They then found his mother’s body in her luxury car parked in the garage.
Zinde, 25, was sent to Weskoppies for observation, who declared him mentally well and fit to stand trial.
He was released in the care of his father, Dr Lebohang Manoto. But soon after his release Zinde attempted to murder his father by attacking him with a drinking glass at the latter’s Walkerville home, south of Johannesburg. When his stepmother tried to intervene she too was assaulted.
Zinda was once again sent to Weskoppies Hospital and the same panel as before, again declared him mentally fit to face his trial.
But his condition deteriorated and he was unable to communicate with his legal team to give them instructions. He was also not able to follow the court proceedings and at times shouted obscenities at the judge.
On previous court appearances, he appeared unkempt and had to be led into the dock by the court orderly. He also appeared to be totally detached from his surroundings and sat mostly with his head bowed.
He was recently referred to Weskoppies Hospital for the third time, where another panel of three experts evaluated him. Brain scans and other tests were done and it was established that he suffered from schizophrenia.
His family hugged a detached looking Zinde in the dock on Friday, before he was taken back to the prison hospital.
His father was not at court.