POLICE in KwaZulu-Natal have warned community members against taking the law into their own hands.

This comes after Mondli Shezi, 30, was beaten to death by a mob that accused him of killing his friend in the Gomoro area outside Pietermaritzburg on Monday.

Police spokesperson Inspector Joey Jeevan said yesterday that the police received a report of murder at about 8.30pm on Monday.

"At about 8.45pm the police received another report of a murder in the same area.

"On arrival at the scene the police found the body of a male who was identified as Senzo Nzimande. He had sustained a stab wound to the neck," Jeevan said.

"A few metres from the scene police found another body of a man who was identified as Mondli Shezi.

"He had sustained open wounds to the face and bruises to the body," Jeevan said.

She said preliminary investigations at the scene established that Nzimande and Shezi were visiting a friend in the area when they quarreled.

"It is alleged that an argument ensued about Nzimande's mental condition. Shezi stabbed Nzimande once in the neck and fled."

Community members pursued Shezi and caught him. They attempted to bring him back to the scene and in the process began assaulting him with sticks and stones.

The community members dispersed before the police arrived. No arrests have been made.

"Police again appeal to the public to report crime and not to resort to taking the law into their own hands.

"Incidents must be reported to the police so that the matter can be investigated and the law can take its course," Jeevan said.