Hope Zinde’s son found mentally fit to stand trial for her murder

Warona Mark Zinde‚ son of late former broadcast journalist Hope Zinde‚ has been declared mentally fit to stand trial for her murder.

Hope apparently died at her son’s hands at their upmarket estate in Hartbeespoort in June.

At the request of his legal team‚ Warona was sent to the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Tshwane for a psychiatric evaluation.

A report by three psychiatrists at the hospital was submitted to the Brits Regional Court on Monday declaring him mentally fit to understand court proceedings.

Read to Magistrate Lourens Mattiah by State Prosecutor Advocate Vuyokazi Xalisa‚ the report also said Warona could distinguish between right and wrong at the time his mother died.

 Hope Zinde‚ who was 50 years old‚ was laid to rest in Pretoria East three months ago.

 She was found dead in the boot of her car. Warona‚ a student at a Pretoria college‚ was arrested soon afterwards.

 Police charged him with one count of murder and another of possession of illegal drugs.

 Hope started off as a broadcast journalist at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in 1991.

 A broadcaster at the SABC until 2006‚ Parliament appointed her to the board of the public broadcaster in 2013.

 Communications Minister Faith Muthambi fired her along with colleagues Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi for allegedly not supporting the controversial appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operations officer.