A 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old son were arrested on Monday after beating an alleged housebreaker to death in Butterworth, Eastern Cape.

Police confirmed they were investigating a murder after a 23-year-old man, identified as Solomzi Gcanca, was killed on Wednesday, June 19.

The man was found dead in the street by community members on Wednesday evening at Ext 14B, Mcubakazi township, Butterworth.

“We were alerted of the crime after members of the community witnessed the [mother and son] beating the young man,” said SAPS spokesperson Capt Jackson Manatha.

The community was angry about what happened to Gcanca.

“The community was so angry that they wanted the woman and her son to be evicted from where they live. But we could not do that. Our job was to arrest them,” said Manatha.

“The alleged killers took matters into their own hands by beating the man for breaking into their house. What they were supposed to do was come to the police,” he added.

Both suspects were expected to appear in court next week.