FORMER Banyana Banyana's sister is fighting for her life at Wilgers Private Hospital in Tshwane.
Khabo Zitha (47) told Daily Sun that her sister Lindi Zitha (50) from Mamelodi East in Tshwane was allegedly set on fire with petrol by her jealous boyfriend at her family home on Wednesday, May 31.
She said the incident happened around 7pm. According to the family, they said they are tired of the boyfriend who occasionally threatened to allegedly kill Lindi and her mum Maria Zitha (83).
The family said that the two had been in a relationship for more than 10 years.
"We do not need this boyfriend, and he must never set foot here again. I want him to rot in jail," Khabo said.
She said the family is struggling to pay piling hospital bills.
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"My sister has been in intensive care unit since the incident, and she's always in theatre.
"She has severe burns all over her body and her eyes are also burnt. I have trouble bearing her pain and seeing her body because she is badly injured," she said.
The devastated mum said the boyfriend allegedly jumped over the wall several times to threaten her. She said she was sleeping with one eye open and was lucky to be alive after the man set her daughter on fire.
"He forces me to open the windows and threatened to kill me and my daughter. He did that to me in May 2023," she said.
The sad mum said she was even afraid to live in her own home. She said they opened a protection order in 2016 and 2023 and the man allegedly told them he didn't care about written documents.
"This man even harassed my taxi drivers and took money from them. He has traumatised us for a long time and must rot in jail," she said.
Maria said the man must rot in prison because he wanted to kill them all.
"I'll never forgive him, over my dead body, he must die in prison. I can't sleep and I've trouble eating. Because of my health condition, I can't even visit my daughter in the hospital," she said.
Family member Bongani Mofokeng (30) said he saved Lindi from the fire.
"This man tried to kill Lindi, and I almost got burned myself. I heard Lindi screaming for help, and I rolled on the ground while she was burning," he said.
Bongani said if he hadn't been in the house, Lindi and Maria would also be dead.
The family said Lindi will receive a skin graft and eye reconstruction.
The suspect appeared in the Mamelodi Magistrates Court on Monday, 5 June and the case was postponed for further investigations to Monday, 12 June, for bail hearing at the same court.
Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said police arrested a 55-year-old man and charged him with attempted murder after he allegedly doused his girlfriend with petrol and set her on fire in Mamelodi on Wednesday, 31 May.
"The victim sustained injuries and was taken to a local medical centre for medical treatment. The suspect was arrested on Thursday, 1 June, and appeared before the Mamelodi Magistrates Court," he said.
