A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of former World War 2 fighter pilot Frans Swemmer in his Waterkloof Ridge home on Thursday.

It is understood the suspect was still inside Swemmer's stolen Mercedes compressor when he was apprehended in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria.

When police arrived on the scene of Swemmer's murder, they immediately began searching for his missing white Mercedes compressor.

Officials spotted the car in Hammanskraal and the driver of the vehicle was arrested.

Authorities say it is unclear how many suspects were involved in the attack on Swemmer but they say one person could not have done it alone.

Swemmer was bludgeoned to death with a blunt object, presumably a hammer.

He was found by his girlfriend and a neighbour after they repeatedly phoned a security company, who assured them that everything was in order.