Speaker’s murder accused found dead

A man accused of murder and arson after he allegedly set his politician wife alight, resulting in her death as well as that of three others, has died.

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Olifantshoek - Thamsanqa Mjila, who was facing charges of murder and arson after he allegedly set his prominent ANC politician wife alight last year, resulting in her death as well as that of three other family members, has died at a family member’s home in West End.

The cause of death was still uncertain on Tuesday and the results of an autopsy are still being awaited.

Mjila was the husband of then ZF Mgcawu District Municipality Speaker, Nokhaya Mjila, who died after she was doused in petrol and set alight at a relative’s home in Olifantshoek on May 30 last year.

Mjila's nine-month-old granddaughter and two other relatives also succumbed to their injuries as a result of the incident.

A family member confirmed on Tuesday that Mjila died on Tuesday morning but added that an autopsy still needed to be done to determine the cause of death.

According to the family spokesman, Kholekile Nogwili, Mjila’s brother’s 27-year-old son had gone into Mjila’s room on Tuesday morning to give him breakfast and the medication he was supposed to take in the morning.

“It was after 7am when the boy went to his room. He came back and told his mother that Thamsanqa was not responding. Thamsanqa’s son went into the room and said the same thing. Thamsanqa’s brother also went into the room and found that he was not responding. He then called an ambulance and they confirmed that Thamsanqa had died,” said Nogwili.

Nogwili said that funeral arrangements would be announced at a later stage.

“We are still informing family; and the family has not yet met. Details on the funeral will be discussed when the family has met,” he said.

Mjila originally appeared in the Olifantshoek Magistrate's Court and the case was postponed to enable him to undergo psychiatric evaluation. He was initially in custody but was granted R30 000 bail.

Mjila was facing four counts of murder, as well as assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm and arson following the incident, which took place in the early hours of May 30 last year.

It is alleged that Mjila set his wife alight while she was recuperating at a relative’s house in Olifantshoek after spending some time in hospital for an undisclosed reason.

Police said Mjila arrived at the relative’s house on the Friday evening, accompanied by other well-wishers, to check up on his wife. He and the other visitors left at around 10pm that evening.

“He allegedly returned to the house at around 2am on the Saturday morning, entered through an unlocked door and doused his wife with petrol while she was sleeping,” police spokeswoman, Colonel Priscilla Naidu, said at the time.

Mjila’s wife died in Rosepark Hospital in Bloemfontein on June 12, nine days after she was set alight, from the injuries she sustained. Her death brought the toll to four after the couple’s nine-month-old granddaughter and two other family members, Lillian Dilodilo and Nashilia Dituku, also died of their burn wounds in hospital shortly after the incident.

Mjila’s wife was 45 years old at the time of her death.

Mjila was arrested shortly after the incident.

He had also suffered burn wounds and a stab wound to the neck. He originally tried to commit suicide by jumping out of an ambulance in Kimberley while being transported to the Kimberley Hospital.

Wearing only his briefs and covered in bandages, he was hit by an oncoming vehicle after stepping in front of it.

The police could not confirm the incident.

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