A South African woman who was ambushed in her own home was stabbed 21 times before having her eyes gouged out before her naked body was discovered by her son who arrived home from school.

Tanya Wiers, 44, was discovered by her son Rolf lying in her daughter's bedroom after suffering the gruesome attack.

The brutal slaying has been described by police as the worst they have ever witnessed.

Tanya Wiers, right, was found murdered at her home in Polokwane, South Africa by her son. Police arrested 25-year-old Frans Maela, left, in connection with the crime shortly afterwards

The mother-of-three was attacked at her home in Polokwane, about 150 miles north of Pretoria.

Police arrested 25-year-old suspect Frans Maela in connection with the killing.

A family friend told the Bosveld Review said she had gone into the house after Mrs Wiers' husband Rolf Snr said he received a disturbing call from her son who was talking incoherently: 'I went into the house, thinking she might have died from a heart attack. What I saw was like something out of a horror movie. She was lying in her youngest daughter’s room covered by a duvet beside the bed.

'It was clear that there had been a struggle as the bed was not where it used to be in the room. Tanya’s clothing was lying in front of the closet in her and her husbands room. The closet doors were still open and it is evident someone had searched through.'

Mrs Wiers suffered at least 21 stab wounds and had her eyes gouged out during the attack

The attack happened at the family's home on Logan Street on the outskirts of Polokwane

Mrs Wiers was murdered in her daughter's bedroom, left, with her clothes strewn across the entire house during the savage attack which was described by police as 'gruesome'

Edwel Community Policing spokesman Brigadier Motafela Mojapelo said: 'This is the most gruesome thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t think that there will ever be anything worse. It was evident that the victim put up the fight of her life, there was so much blood and her defensive wounds tell their own horrifying story.'

Maela has been remanded in custody after appearing before Polokwane Magistrates' Court.

Police discovered Mrs Wiers suffered extensive defence wounds to her arms and hands before she succumbed to the attack.