A woman has been murdered, allegedly by her late friend's teenage son while visiting the bereaved family to offer her condolences.

The 17-year-old suspect has been on the run since Tuesday morning, after the 44-year-old woman's body was found with multiple stab wounds and a plastic bag wrapped around her head in a house in Mapetla, Soweto.

"This is Satan's work. We knew this boy as respectful and quiet. Killing someone does not suit him," said 85-year-old Martha Makume who has been a neighbour to the boy's mother and elder brother for more than 10 years.

She said the suspect had mostly lived in Limpopo where he attended high school until he completed matric last year.

"He's only been here for a couple of months. His mother got sick last week and died this past Saturday. The [other] lady, unfortunately, came yesterday to comfort the family and met her death," Makume said.

Makume was speaking to Sowetan outside the now deserted home of her neighbours.

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she heard screams but didn't think that someone had been seriously hurt or killed.

"I heard someone scream and a door slamming shut but I didn't think much of it. I really thought that it must have been children playing.

"I realised after the police questioned me that I heard someone was murdered.

"I still get shivers thinking of [it]," she said.

Captain Mpande Khoza of Moroka police station said a case of murder had been opened.

Meanwhile, a friend of the family who also asked not to be named, said the alleged perpetrator had a history of
causing trouble.

"He went to visit his family in Mpumalanga and got into some trouble there. His brother told me he got into mischief making there but he didn't mention what he did.

"When his mother found out about the troublemaking, she went to fetch him and he's been living here ever since," he said.