A man who allegedly raped two sisters was burnt to death and his accomplice assaulted with stones. 

Limpopo police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe said the police in Mphephu outside Makhado are investigating cases of rape, house robbery, murder and attempted murder which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at Mawoni Village.

"It is alleged that two sisters aged 39 and 29 were attacked, robbed of three cellphones, a cash amount of money and raped by three unknown suspects while sleeping in their parental house in this village. 

"Members of the community were alerted, mobilised themselves and started to search for the possible suspects involved in this matter. In the process, two of the three [suspected] men were cornered and caught by this group of people in one of the villages," he said. 

Ngoepe said the community jointly assaulted the men with an assortment of weapons, including stones, and burnt one of them to death.

"Police were notified and reacted swiftly.On arrival at the scene, the lifeless body of a middle-aged man was found burnt and the second one still alive who was immediately taken to the hospital for medical treatment," he said. 

Ngoepe added that police have opened cases of murder and attempted murder but the suspects are still unknown at this stage and there has been no arrest. 

The 23-year-old suspect who survived the attack will appear before the Mphephu magistrate's court as soon as he recovers from the hospital. 

Provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Nneke Ledwaba has condemned in the strongest terms the killing of this suspected person and the attempt to kill his alleged accomplice.

"Members of the community are warned to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and those that are still continuing with this irresponsible act will be dealt with mercilessly and without compromise," said Ledwaba.