A man was shot dead when he allegedly attacked a farmer's wife near Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Sunday.

The 22-year-old confronted the woman on the farm on the Old Wartburg Road and grabbed her by the shirt as she was closing the farm gate after returning from the city on Saturday around 11pm, said Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram in a statement.

The 42-year-old woman screamed for help.

"Moments later her husband (47) who was inside the house, heard the screams and went to investigate."

The man confronted him on the veranda. The farmer drew his gun and fired three shots at the man, killing him.

Police were investigating.

Sapa

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