A Parkwood man who allegedly doused his girlfriend with petrol and then set her alight has handed himself over to police after being on the run for nearly a week.
Deonay Waigh, 32, from Pelikan Park died in hospital after suffering severe burns.
Cousin Jade Baartman, 26, says he saw Deonay last week when she left home to visit her father in Parkwood.
Jade says: “She had been living with us and said she wanted to go see her father who was sick. We knew she had a boyfriend in Parkwood and there were issues because he was possessive and abusive.”
When she did not return home on Thursday they contacted relatives, but received a chilling call the next morning.
Jade explains: “At about 4am, my mother got a missed call and when she called back that is when she was told that Deonay had been burnt but we didn’t know how bad it was. We were told that they had an argument and that he threw petrol on her in his hokkie and set her on fire.
“When we got to the hospital, we could still smell the petrol and the doctors tried to save her life.
“She had 50-percent burns and the doctors said her heart gave in and her lungs collapsed as her organs also burnt.
“My mother says she tried to say something but couldn’t speak.”
On Christmas Eve, shortly before the family arrived at hospital, Deonay passed away while her boyfriend went on the run.
Jade continues “The doctors told us her injuries were so bad not even the specialists at the burn unit could help her, the burns were too severe.”
Meanwhile, the boyfriend sent Deonay’s family a voice note where he confesses to burning her in a jealous rage and reveals that he also planned to set himself alight. Jade says the suspect reached out to his sister on Wednesday, who convinced him to hand himself over.
The hartseer relative adds: “He called his sister and told her that he was hungry. She convinced him to come home and when he arrived she told him there was a case and he needed to hand himself over.
“I hope now that other women who are being abused by their boyfriends will speak up before it is too late.”
Grassy Park station commander, Colonel Dawood Laing, confirms the incident and says the 29-year-old man will appear in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court next week on murder charges.