A 43-year-old man was bludgeoned to death during a violent home invasion in Ntapuka, Ndwedwe, late Thursday night.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) responded to the incident after receiving distress calls from residents around 7:34 AM on Friday. Upon arrival, officers discovered the victim lying naked in a pool of blood inside his home, with severe blunt force trauma to his head and face. Rigor mortis had already set in, indicating he had been dead for several hours.
According to neighbours, a group of six armed suspects, traveling in two vehicles, terrorized the community late Thursday night. Their rampage began at the home of a 65-year-old man, who also runs a tuck shop. The attackers demanded cash and stabbed him in the chest before moving on to another house, where they pistol-whipped and assaulted a man who attempted to intervene.
The suspects then targeted the 43-year-old victim, breaking into his home by smashing windows before allegedly beating him to death and stealing valuables.
Police were initially called to the scene but failed to arrive for over eight hours, prompting residents to seek help from RUSA.
The 65-year-old shop owner, who suffered a serious chest wound, was privately transported to a specialist hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
Authorities are investigating the attack, while the Ndwedwe community remains in shock over the brutal violence.