Police have taken in a KwaZulu-Natal man after an elderly woman was allegedly murdered for her pension on Monday.

According to social development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, the 77-year-old woman was found in a pool of blood, with several stab wounds, in her Pietermaritzburg home.

It is alleged that the man, who was known to her, stole her pension money.

"Police have arrested a young man believe to be behind the murder," said Khoza.

"It's very sad that in our province we continue to witness the murder and abuse of senior citizens. In the Pietermaritzburg cluster we are experiencing a number of these brutal killings of elderly persons.

"We expect young people to be the one who support, respect and protect senior citizens. We want to see this vicious young man rot in prison for killing and robbing a senior citizen of her pension money."