A man, who is suspected of stabbing a woman to death, was admitted to hospital in eMalahleni after he allegedly drank poison in his holding cell.

It is further alleged that when the suspect woke up at the hospital where he was receiving medical attention, he drank a bottle of detergent.

The 29-year-old man handed himself over to the Witbank police earlier in December. A case of murder is being investigated against him.

According to the police report, the brother-in-law of the suspect went to visit him in Kalbasfontein near Jackaroo Park in eMalahleni on Thursday, December 8.

Upon his arrival he found the door unlocked and went into the house where he found the body of a woman in a pool of blood. The body was covered with a blanket.

The brother-in-law told police that he then rushed to the neighbours for help. The neighbours called the police.

It is believed that the woman was stabbed to death as there was a knife next to her.

Police did not say where the man got the poison from.