POLOKWANE – The Westenburg police have arrested a man (32) on charges of murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a brutal stabbing in Extension 40 in the early hours of Sunday morning (August 24).

According to police reports, three brothers were watching soccer together with the eldest brother’s girlfriend when the eldest briefly left the room.

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The youngest brother allegedly became aggressive towards the woman, stabbing her multiple times.

“When the elder brother tried to intervene, he was also attacked with a knife before the suspect locked the house. Members of the community, alerted by the commotion, broke into the house and rescued the victims. The suspect attempted to flee but was caught and assaulted by the community before the police intervened by rescuing and arresting him,” the Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba’s statement read.

The 32-year-old woman was found with multiple stab wounds and certified dead at the scene, while the elder brother sustained serious injuries and remains in hospital.

“The suspect, the youngest of the brothers, is under police guard and will appear in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court soon.”

The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, praised the community for acting quickly but condemned mob justice:

“We commend the community for intervening to save lives, however, we strongly urge the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and to allow justice to follow its course.”