A third suspect arrested this week for the murder of activist and former politician Loyiso Nkohla Mabandla died in the police holding cells in East London on Friday.
Mabandla was gunned down in a suspected hit in Cape Town in April.
The 39-year-old, who is believed to be the mastermind, was arrested by the Hawks in Peddie on Thursday.
He was due to appear in the East London magistrate's court on Friday.
Western Cape Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siyabulela Vukubi confirmed that the suspect died of a heart attack in the police holding cells.
"It happened before he appeared in court early this [Friday] morning," he said.
Vukubi said no foul was suspected.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) would investigate the suspect's death.
Though the activist was killed in the Western Cape, all the three suspects who have been arrested for the murder so far are from the Eastern Cape.
The second suspect, Mziyanda Mdlungu, from Dutywa, was nabbed by police in Pretoria on Monday.
He was allegedly the agent who facilitated the hiring of the hitmen.
Mdlungu made his first appearance in the Pretoria Central magistrate’s court on Tuesday and will be in the Athlone magistrate’s court on Monday.
The first suspect, Zukile Tshabile, 38, from Cofimvaba, was arrested by the Hawks in Cape Town in October.
Tshabile appeared in the Athlone magistrate's court and the matter was postponed to February 15 for further investigation.
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