Staff Reporter.
The 55-year-old man arrested for allegedly setting alight the sister of a Banyana Banyana player after pouring petrol on her, has died in police custody.
Eric Mavakalala was charged with attempted murder after he doused his partner, Lindiwe Zitha, with petrol and set her alight on 31 May.
The victim has been in a coma and on life-support since she was admitted to Life Wilgers Hospital, in Pretoria, over the weekend.
Lindiwe is the sister of former Banyana Banyana player Khabo Zitha. Khabo played professional soccer between 1994 to 2006, including on the national team and for the Mamelodi Sundowns Women’s League.
Acting as the family spokesperson, Khabo said that Lindiwe had already obtained two protection orders against her former boyfriend.
“No one in the family really knew the boyfriend, but we were told that he and my sister were dating for quite some time,” Khabo told Pretoria Rekord.
“He threatened to kill her on several occasions and sometimes forced her to sleep over and demanded money from her.”
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed the death of the attempted murder accused, Eric Marakalala, on Wednesday 7 June.
Marakalala is said to have suffered first degree burns on his neck, hands and other areas when he set Lindiwe alight.
Masondo said, the suspect complained “about pain” and an ambulance was dispatched to take him to Pretoria’s Mamelodi Hospital.
Marakalala, however, was declared dead by paramedics when they arrived at the police station.