Limpopo police have arrested a 33-year-old man parolee for the alleged rape of a 78-year-old mentally challenged woman near Lebowakgomo‚ south-east of Polokwane.

Police were conducting a routine crime prevention patrol on Friday night when they received a report that community members had "accosted" the suspect who was allegedly caught raping the woman who had been sleeping in her house‚ police said.

“The police reacted swiftly‚ arrested the suspect and the victim was immediately conveyed to the hospital for medical attention. This suspect‚ who was on parole after he was previously sentenced for rape‚ will appear before the Sekhukhune Magistrate’s Court on Monday on a charge of rape‚” police said.

Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba said: "I want to take this opportunity to commend members of the community in that area who acted so promptly and rescued this victim and by also apprehending this criminal and handed him over to the police unharmed. This is a job well done and I hope that communities from other areas in the province will copy this excellent behaviour by these villagers in the positive spirit of community policing.”