Man arrested for pouring boiling water over his girlfriend‚ killing her

"I just burned your sister."

These are the last words the family of Gugulethu Primrose Mahlangu heard after her boyfriend allegedly poured boiling water over her in Kagiso‚ in Krugersdorp west of Johannesburg.

A family spokesperson‚ who did not want to be named‚ said Mahlangu and the 44-year-old man had been dating for a few years. She said it was a toxic‚ abusive relationship.

According to the woman‚ the man – who is in police custody awaiting a court appearance – went to her home on Thursday morning. A short while later‚ Mahlangu returned to the house after visiting family on Johannesburg’s East Rand.

"He was trying to speak to her‚ but she wasn't trying to speak to him. She said she needed a break from him. I tried to intervene but it didn't work out so I left‚” the woman told said on Monday.

She returned home at about 5pm and saw Mahlangu getting ready for bed. About three hours later the man came to the house‚ knocking on the door and wanting to see Mahlangu.

Mahlangu left and went to the man’s house‚ the family spokesperson said – and shortly before midnight that evening‚ the family received a call from the man.

"My younger sister received a call from the guy and he said‚ 'I just burned your sister.' She called us and my mother called the hospital and they confirmed that they had a patient who had been burned‚” the woman said.