A 25-year-old man has been arrested for the rape and murder of a KwaZulu-Natal woman.

The woman’s body was discovered in a shallow grave at Masinenge informal settlement, on the south coast, on Friday.

According to police, the woman had gone to visit friends in the area on Wednesday but never reached her destination. Her friends then contacted the police.

“On 13 September at 9am, Margate police responded to a complaint at Masinenge informal settlement in Uvongo and with the assistance of the Port Shepstone K9 unit began with a search around the area,” said SAPS KZN spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala.

"Her body was found buried in a shallow grave in Masinenge."

The police's investigation led them to the man who was last seen with the victim. The man was arrested at his place of employment in Uvongo on Tuesday and will appear in court on Thursday.