Members of the Pietermaritzburg community signalled their outrage over crime when they attacked - and, in one instance, killed - an armed robbery suspect they had helped arrest in two incidents at the weekend.
South African Police Service spokesperson Joshua Gwala said a home owner living in Mbanjwa Road, in Caluza township, woke about 2.30am on Saturday to discover three intruders in the house, one of whom was armed with a firearm.
The gunman apparently attacked the home owner, who made a grab for the firearm, resulting in a shot going off.
No one was injured, but the sound of the gunshot caused the other two robbers to panic and run from the house.
However, the gunman and the house owner continued to struggle, the tussle ending up outside in the yard.
"There the owner of the house shouted for help from the neighbours, and people from the vicinity came to assist him," Gwala said, adding that the gunman had been arrested and then assaulted so severely that he had died of his injuries.
"He suffered severe head and bodily injuries.
"We don't know what was used, but it appears that sharp objects were used (to carry out the assault)," Gwala said.
He said paramedics called to the scene certified the man dead.
The unidentified gunman was about 23 years old.
Police recovered the suspect's firearm at the scene.
Gwala declined to release the name of the 32-year-old home owner concerned as police were investigating a case of murder arising from the death of the intruder.
He said a woman who was also in the house when the robbers gained entry was not injured in the fracas.
The intruders had gained entry by forcing the front door of the home, he said.
In another incident at the weekend, members of the public who had come to the aid of butchery employees who had been robbed helped arrest the robbery suspects, assaulting one of them in the process.
Gwala said that employees of Hlophe's Butchery, on the corner of Retief and Berg streets in Pietermaritzburg, were about to close the shop at 5pm on Saturday when three men, posing as customers, entered.
One of them produced a firearm and threatened the four employees, forcing them to the back of the shop.
One of the staff was ordered to open the till and did so. The robbers removed an undisclosed sum of money from the till before running away.
The butchery staff gave chase and shouted for help.
Several pedestrians came to their aid and succeeded in arresting one of the fleeing suspects.
"The man was then assaulted prior to the arrival of the police," Gwala said.
He said the police had taken the 24-year-old man to Grey's Hospital where he had been treated for head injuries and discharged.
The man is in custody awaiting his appearance in court on Monday.