Investigators in the seaside town of Hermanus have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the murder of a 95-year-old woman, Western Cape police said on Monday.
A security guard found the woman dead in her home in the Eastcliff complex around 17:00 on Thursday, said Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana.
According to Netwerk24, who identified the woman as Joan Anderson, the backdoor of her unit was found open, the house was in a mess and there was a lot of blood everywhere.
Her body was reportedly found tied up in the bathroom, with a hand towel wrapped around her head.
Rwexana said the circumstances of the murder were being investigated.
She did not respond to questions on the cause of the death and whether anything was taken from the house.
Hermanus CPF chair Merwyn Milner said he had heard unconfirmed reports that two men, who Anderson had meant to identify in an identity parade for a criminal case, had recently been released.
"It's a sad state of affairs," Milner said.
He said that like the rest of the country, Hermanus had a shortage of police officers.
Netwerk24 reported that two men, who were taken into custody for a robbery at a rental agency where Anderson worked last year, were set free recently due to lost evidence after the police station burnt down in recent unrest.