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- A 55-year-old man arrested for setting his partner alight died in his prison cell on Tuesday night.
- Police said Eric Mavakalala had suffered injuries when burning his partner, Lindiwe Zitha.
- Mavakalala was expected to appear in court on 12 June for a possible bail application.
The 55-year-old Mamelodi man arrested for allegedly setting alight the sister of a Banyana Banyana player after pouring petrol on her, has died.
Eric Mavakalala was charged with attempted murder after he allegedly doused his partner, Lindiwe Zitha, with petrol and set her alight on 31 May. Litha is understood to be the sister of former Banyana Banyana star Khabo Zitha.
Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said Mavakalala was taken to hospital on 1 June after he was charged as he had been injured during the attack on Litha.
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"He had sustained injuries from the previous day. Police took him to the hospital after charging him. He was checked and discharged back to the cell on the same day. He had visible burn wounds," said Masondo.
Masondo said Mavakalala complained about pain on Tuesday.
Masondo said police had opened an inquest docket.
"A postmortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death," said Masondo.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana had earlier said Mavakalala made his first appearance in the Mamelodi Magistrate's Court on Monday.
"He is facing a charge of attempted murder after he allegedly doused the victim in the matter, Lindiwe Zitha, 50, with petrol and set her alight at her home in Mamelodi," said Mahanjana at the time.
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TimesLive reported that Zitha had sustained burn wounds all over her body and had been unconscious since she was admitted to the hospital. According to the report, the accused had allegedly beaten her before setting her alight and locking her in a bedroom.
#NOTINMYNAME organisation spokesperson Temba Masango called on men to stop making women's bodies "crime scenes".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with her as she goes into surgery again today," said Masango.
Masango confirmed that Mavakalala died in the police holding cells at 17:00 on Tuesday.
