Pretoria – The 55-year-old man arrested for pouring a flammable liquid on his girlfriend before setting her alight had died in a police cell.
The girlfriend is fighting for her life in the hospital.
On Wednesday NOTINMYNAME said: “Lindiwe Zitha, a sister to former Banyana Banyana star Khabo Zitha, is fighting for her life after her boyfriend Eric Marakala poured petrol over her and set her alight last week Wednesday in Mamelodi”.
NOTINMYNAME added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with her as she goes into surgery again today”
Police said Marakala who was facing a charge of attempted murder died in a cell on Tuesday afternoon, (6 June 2023).
“The suspect complained about the pain and police immediately called an ambulance. The paramedics declared him dead in the holding cells,” the police said.
“Police have opened an inquest docket and a postmortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death.”
Police arrested Marakala last week on Thursday. He had burn wounds on his hands.
Things came to a head last week on Wednesday, (31 May 2023), when Marakala poured petrol on his 50-year-old girlfriend and set her alight.
The violent assault took place while Lindiwe Zitha’s children were in the house.
Lindiwe Zitha sustained serious burn injuries and was taken to a medical facility, where she remains on life support in ICU.
Her brother also suffered burns when he tried to extinguish the flames.
Marakala was arrested on Thursday, (1 June 2023), and has since appeared before Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court.
He had been remanded in custody when he died suddenly in his cell.
Commenting on her sister’s volatile relationship, former football star Khabo Zitha told The Citizen that “He [Marakala] threatened to kill her on several occasions, sometimes forced her to sleep over, and demanded money from her.
“On the night of the incident, the accused found my sister in the kitchen and poured petrol all over her body, and set her alight.
“He then tried to set cars outside the house alight before he fled the scene.”
NOTINMYNAME called on men to stop making women’s bodies their crime scenes.
The Economic Freedom Fighters condemned the violent attack on Lindiwe Zitha.
