When she ended their relationship, her married lover would not have any of it. He vowed to get her back at all costs and when he failed, he did the unthinkable. He allegedly poured Lindiwe Zitha,the younger sister of legendary former Banyana Banyana captain, Khabo Zitha, with petrol and set her alight. 

THE ATTACK

Speaking on behalf of the family, Khabo said her sister was taking stuff from her car after she arrived at their home in Mamelodi, outside Tshwane, last week Wednesday when she was attacked. "There was loadshedding and it was dark outside so she didn’t see her attacker approaching. He poured her with petrol and set her alight and flew the scene," Khabo said. She added that her brother who was inside the house was alerted to Lindiwe’s ordeal when he heard her screaming and went outside to check what was going on. Outside, she met her sister in flames. "My brother was also burnt on his hands when he tried to put out the fire," she said. Khabo says that the suspect, Eric Marakalala, jumped their fence and approached her sister outside and demanded that she had sex with him. When Lindiwe refused, he was enraged and burnt her.

BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION

Lindiwe was admitted in hospital and has been operated on to restore her eyes. She also went through skin grafting surgery. "Her wounds are so bad that she is unrecognisable. She is the shadow of her former self and we pray that her attacker is sent to jail for a very long time," Khabo said. She told ZiMoja that the family hopes the justice system will help them and put Eric behind bars. " Our wish is for him not to be granted bail. He is a dangerous person and a threat to society," Khabo added. 

SIX MONTHS OF TERROR 

Eric has allegedly been terrorising Lindiwe for the past six months, who stayed with her grandmother and Khabo. They felt unsafe when Eric would strike. "He would jump the fence and demand to sleep with Lindiwe. We are scared of him because his brother is a feared gangster in the area," Khabo said, adding that her sister went to the police to get a protection order thinking it would help stop all these attacks. But Eric would not take a no for an answer, he started showing a different side. Eric was arrested when he went to the clinic to get medical help after he got burnt during the incident. He appeared in the Mamelodi Magistrates’ Court today and his case has been postponed to Friday for a formal bail application.