A couple appeared in the Springs Magistrate's Court for murder on Monday, Gauteng police said.

Spokesperson Captain Johannes Ramphora said a 25-year-old woman and her 29-year-old fiancé were arrested on Sunday in the Gugulethu informal settlement.

"This was after the woman was robbed of her cellphone by a man in his twenties; she ran to inform her fiancé who came and confronted the alleged cellphone thief."

Ramphora said the alleged thief then attacked the man with stones after a brief argument.

"The woman's fiancé managed to grab the suspected phone thief and blew a whistle to alert community members who came out in numbers.

"The alleged thief was assaulted with sticks and stones until he died."

Ramphora said only the man and woman were arrested because police were still investigating.

Sapa