TWO family members including a woman have been arrested in connection with the burning to death of eight people at Mpola village, outside Marrianhill, on Monday.

Police have also linked the gruesome incident to witchcraft beliefs.

The two, a 21-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were arrested on Wednesday night by members of the Cato Manor organised crime unit, which had been assigned to probe the deaths of eight Mabhida family members.

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Phindile Radebe confirmed the arrests, saying the two would appear in the Pinetown magistrate's court on Monday on eight counts of murder and one of arson.

"After working night and day, police managed to link one of the suspects to the crime, which led to the arrest of the other," Radebe said.

Sowetan established that the family of the suspects has been living in the Mpola area for almost 20 years, while the Mabhidas only arrived in the area two years ago.

Once settled, they Mabhidas asked the father of the suspects for a small piece of land for farming which he granted them.

After some time, the suspects' father fell ill and subsequently died. His family suspected that he had been bewitched by the Mabhidas.

In March, the suspects' family had a cleansing ceremony where they slaughtered a sheep.

But the sheep's skin mysteriously disappeared during the night and this fuelled further tensions.

Police said the elder suspect allegedly told the young suspect to buy petrol and afterwards set the house of the Mabhidas on fire while they were fast asleep at night.