A couple was murdered in their home next to their guest house in Sabie, near Nelspruit, on Thursday, Mpumalanga police said.

Captain Leonard Hlathi said Leon Steyn and his wife Hetta Steyn were shot at close range with an R5 rifle at 7am.

They were in their home next to their guest house at Hendriksdal Railway Station, between Sabie and Nelspruit.

A neighbour told the police he heard three gunshots from the house and saw two men fleeing. One of them had a rifle.

He called the police, who recovered one round of live ammunition and four spent cartridges inside the house.