Two men suspected of stealing an Eskom transformer were viciously beaten by the Somaphepha community, leading to the death of one.

Yesterday at around 18:00, the police were dispatched to the village where they found two men lying in a pool of blood.

Their bodies were facing upwards with serious wounds on their bodies and faces.

According to information gathered on the scene, the men were caught attempting to steal a transformer.

The community took matters into their own hands and physically assaulted them.

When the paramedics examined their bodies, they declared one of the men dead while the other man was transported to the Middelburg Provincial Hospital.

The community said the men were unknown to them.

The deceased man was transported to the Middelburg Forensic Pathology Department for postmortem results. His identity is still unknown.

The other man is currently in the hospital being treated for his wounds.

The police are investigating a murder case and an attempted murder case.

No arrests have been made yet.