Johannesburg – Robbers tortured a 64-year-old woman with a drill when they attacked her at her home on a farm in the Vaal area on Friday night, police said.

Spokesperson Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini said she was attacked by three men on the farm on the Kalbasfontein road between Fochville and Carletonville.

"They used a drill to torture her," said Dlamini.

ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said earlier that when they arrived on the scene, they found three dead dogs, and the woman lying in a pool of blood.

Police could only confirm the death of one dog.

Meiring said she had a serious head injury, lacerations to her wrist and puncture wounds on her feet.

"Paramedics immediately began their treatment of the patient, as well as providing her with several advanced life support interventions," said Meiring.

She was rushed to the Vereeniging Mediclinic for further treatment.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance said the attack on the woman, who they named as Nicci Simpson, stressed the urgency of the need for rural safety units.

"These attacks have far-reaching implications for South Africa’s food security, and the well-being of our farming communities," said an agriculture spokesperson for the party, Ina Cilliers.

Simpson's stolen bakkie has since been located but the robbers are still at large.