A 17-year-old teenager was beaten to death after he was accused of raping his one-year-old sister in Hazelmere, Verulam in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.

According to a statement released by Reaction Unit SA (Rusa), it was alleged that the teen had raped his one-year-old sister on Friday.

Rusa says the mother, with assistance from three of her brothers (the boy’s uncles) and a 17-year-old neighbour, tracked the teen to his father’s residence.

“They bound his hands behind his back with a metal chain which was secured with a padlock and they began to beat him in the house before they dragged him outside.

Members of the community allegedly joined in on the attack.

According to the statement, they received a call for assistance from the ward councillor at approximately 11:36am.

Injuries sustained

“We were directed to an unpaved pathway where the body of the teenager was discovered. Upon examination, he was found to have been fatally injured in the attack. He sustained blunt force trauma to several parts of his body,” said Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram.

He adds that the teenager was also accused of allegedly raping a second minor child in the area. No criminal cases were registered in both incidents.

He says residents also complained that he was responsible for multiple house break-ins and home invasions.

The key for the padlock was handed over to police on scene by the teenager’s uncle. Five people, including the deceased’s mother were transported to the Verulam SAPS for questioning and a case of murder is being investigated.