Rugby player arrested over axe murders

A former rugby player has been arrested for murder and attempted murder after he allegedly went on a revenge rampage after his daughter was raped and infected with HIV.

The 34-year-old, whose identity remains unknown for legal reasons, allegedly butchered three men with an axe, and nearly killed a fourth.

One of the victims was left decapitated, and it is believed his head was found around 1.6km away from his body, Afrikaans daily Beeld reported.

The man was arrested for the brutal attacks, which allegedly occurred last week near Durban in South Africa's eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, with blood on his clothes.

One of the bodies had almost been completely decapitated, with the head "hanging by nothing more than a nerve".

Lieutenant Colonel Mdunge said: "When they pounced on him they found an axe, which we believe is the murder weapon, clothes with blood stains and a hired car that we suspect he could have used during the alleged attacks.

"He is currently being detained in one of our police stations.

"We can't disclose where for security reasons.

"He will be charged formally with three counts of murder with aggravating circumstances and one of attempted murder."

The newspaper alleged the former rugby player stalked his victims over several days in townships and slum suburbs near Durban before the attacks.

The man can't be identified under South African law until he has faced court, but police suggested his identity may remain suppressed to protect his daughter over her rape ordeal.

A Durban resident who believed he could have been one of the former rugby player's victims told The Cape Argus he feared for his life.

Khangelani Mdluli, told police he was approached by a man while walking through Durban's Lamontville suburb last Tuesday.

The man allegedly accused Moluli of raping his daughter before going to attack him with an axe.

"He stopped the car, jumped out with an orange plastic bag and walked down the road towards me," Moluli said.

"I continued walking but I looked at the plastic bag.

"He said to me: 'Did you know we would ever meet? You think I'm stupid. You infected my daughter with HIV'."

Moluli said the man pulled an axe out of his bag and tried to swing it at his head.

"As the axe came down towards my head, I ducked and it scratched my stomach," he said.

"I started running down the road as he followed me and swore at me.

"He eventually gave up and turned back to head to his car, which was parked up the road."