An elderly couple from Ugie in the Eastern Cape was hospitalised after robbers tied them up and set fire to their house last Wednesday night.

Police said three armed suspects forced the couple to hand over their bank cards, after which they were driven from their smallholding to the nearby town to withdraw cash.

Upon returning to the farm, the men tied up the 68-year-old man, while they left the 67-year-old woman unrestrained. After leaving the house, they allegedly poured petrol on the home and set it alight.

Robbery and arson are being investigated.

Brig Tembinkosi Kinana told SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE that a case of attempted murder "may be added during the investigation".

"As they arrived back at the farm, the suspects tied the elderly man but not his wife and locked them in the bedroom. They allegedly threw petrol on the house and set it alight," he said. "Due to the fact that one of the victims was not tied up, she was able to untie her husband and they both managed to get out of the house through the windows and alerted the police," he said.

Kinana told TimesLIVE the investigation was ongoing, and that SAPS have made "a lot of progress" towards arresting suspects.